1
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
she was forlorn when she found out the trip had been cancelled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lonely
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others
a forlorn wanderer far from home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
a forlorn little town whose brief economic boom ended decades ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope
the forlorn expression of a candidate who knows that he hasn't a prayer of winning the election
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of forlorn
The video began with a clip of a seemingly forlorn Bronx sitting alone on a bed, looking visibly puzzled.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Charlie Rangel was on his way to being another forlorn New Yorker born during the Depression and raised during WWII, dropping out of high school with two years to go.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
The stack of condos at One Seaport (a.k.a 161 Maiden Lane) stands forlorn and unfinished for now, since a three-inch tilt and a scrimmage of lawsuits brought construction to a halt.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 May 2025
The second jewel of the Triple Crown has long owned its forlorn middle-child status.
—Dana O'Neil, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for forlorn
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Charlie Rangel was on his way to being another forlorn New Yorker born during the Depression and raised during WWII, dropping out of high school with two years to go.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
The stack of condos at One Seaport (a.k.a 161 Maiden Lane) stands forlorn and unfinished for now, since a three-inch tilt and a scrimmage of lawsuits brought construction to a halt.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 May 2025
The second jewel of the Triple Crown has long owned its forlorn middle-child status.
—Dana O'Neil, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for forlorn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forlorn
Adjective
-
To some, this may sound bizarre, laughable, or even just plain sad.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
-
Banks: There’s a reason why the theater [symbol] is a happy face/sad face.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
As found in the survey, adults who experience daily loneliness are nearly five times more likely to rate their current life poorly compared to those who aren’t lonely.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
-
Skeletal branches created a cathedral over the lonely vehicle where the 64-year-old man had breathed his last, the winter-gray river placid in the background behind a ramble of fences.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
The somewhat bleak outlook was laid bare Tuesday night after the USMNT was thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland during a friendly in Nashville.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
11 June 2025
-
Instead of learning from this bleak recent history, Americans are now painfully absorbing this lesson by repeating it.—
Jonathan Haskel,
Foreign Affairs,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
Racing is in desperate need of stars and the chase for the Triple Crown is one way of getting them.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
-
In this story, the baby was in desperate need of nourishment, so the mother ran between two hills seven times to try to procure water for the baby.—
Monica Haider,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Additionally, the more fiscally conservative Senate is increasingly unhappy with the cost of the bill, which is estimated to add $3.1 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Four of its main characters are in unhappy marriages and cheating on their spouses, which is sometimes awkwardly played for laughs.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
When The Last of Us premiered back in 2023, there was massive chatter surrounding Pascal and his penchant for rescuing desolate children in TV shows.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
25 May 2025
-
See a camera operator following Snook to a desolate corner?—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
Those who are convinced they’re trapped stay helpless and hopeless.—
Amy Morin,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
-
In a world where the powerful increasingly act with impunity, taking fictional villains to task makes sense, a form of Hollywood wish fulfillment for those who feel stuck or hopeless.—
Whitney Friedlander,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
Adjective
-
The results: enrollees had less financial stress and were less likely to be depressed, but there was no difference in their physical health.—
John C. Goodman,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
-
Even at a time when film and TV production in Southern California is depressed, A-listers want to spend their time between takes in plush surroundings.—
William Earl,
Variety,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forlorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forlorn. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share