as in barren
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops
we were lost in the desert for days without food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in discipline
usually deserts plural
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
the robbers got their just deserts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to abandon
to leave (a cause or party) often in order to take up another
the volunteer became disillusioned with his candidate and deserted to a political rival
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to leave
to cause to remain behind
deserted the kids at the food court for some independent shopping
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in arid
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of desert
Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025
Secrets of the Penguins follows penguins living along the equator in the Galapagos Islands, in the African desert, and more.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Helena Wegner, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The bees are dying as the workers desert the queen.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2025
The temporary ban applies to areas within the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to a news release from the agency.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for desert
Noun
For instance, for her Coachella debut Tyla brought an experimental island flavor to the desert.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025
Secrets of the Penguins follows penguins living along the equator in the Galapagos Islands, in the African desert, and more.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
It was built during World War II to watch for enemy ships before being deserted in 1949, according to Atlas Obscura.
—Helena Wegner, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The bees are dying as the workers desert the queen.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Cocktail grapefruit grows wherever conventional grapefruit grows, although fruit quality is best, as with grapefruit generally, in desert or semi-desert conditions.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2025
The temporary ban applies to areas within the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to a news release from the agency.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for desert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desert
Verb
-
Biden’s Justice Department ultimately abandoned the gambit and left Trump to head to trial, where a jury ordered him to pay $83.3 million.—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
23 Apr. 2025
-
At this point, what started as a throwaway joke has grown into something vaguely earnest — too big to fail and too enmeshed in the neighborhood to be abandoned in good conscience.—
Nate Rogers,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Prosecutors accused Read of striking O’Keefe with her SUV then leaving him to die in the snow.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Visas for Pakistani citizens were limited, many Pakistanis were given a deadline to leave the country, diplomatic ties were downgraded, a land border between the two was shut down, and Pakistani military advisers were expelled from the New Delhi mission.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Photograph: Pablo Romero In the arid region south of Mexicali, where the pale desert dominates the landscape, the Las Arenitas wetland feels like a mirage.—
Geraldine Castro,
Wired News,
23 Apr. 2025
-
With reduced visibility, poor air quality and hazardous driving conditions, large-scale dust storms like this reflect ongoing challenges posed by drought and land degradation in arid regions.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Guo, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, rejected Trump’s assertions suggesting progress toward a trade deal.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Hours before the scheduled execution on Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a final appeal by Mendoza's attorneys to stop the execution.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Rain could aid firefighting efforts and saturate dry fuels, reducing their risk of igniting in the future.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
-
According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the fire is expected to grow as dry conditions, winds and low humidity aid its activity.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Rather than a gradual strengthening of local capacity as a way of reimagining how the global development industry operates, the Trump administration’s proposals simply withdraw federal support.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
American Airlines withdrew its 2025 earnings forecast on Thursday, citing growing economic uncertainty.—
Kate Marijolovic,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
While urban areas like Los Angeles are under mandatory drought restrictions to reduce strain on state reservoirs, many rural residents reliant on groundwater wells are waterless.—
Tribune Content Agency,
oregonlive,
27 Nov. 2022
-
Other eco-friendly measures include a solid waste incinerator to turn waste into non-toxic ash and a waterless urinal to reduce unnecessary usage.—
Camille Fine,
USA TODAY,
22 Aug. 2022
Adjective
-
If that sounds like thirsty work, Irishman Colm Dalton has just the ticket.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2025
-
After ignoring the warning, Remmick succeeds at transforming them, ultimately recruiting them into his blood thirsty clan.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desert. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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