Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

desolate

/ˈdɛs.ə.lət/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.17 in modern English

Syllables
des-o-late
IPA
/ˈdɛs.ə.lət/
9
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Deserted and devoid of inhabitants.

adj

Barren and lifeless.

adj

Made unfit for habitation or use because of neglect, destruction etc.

adj

Dismal or dreary.

adj

Sad, forlorn and hopeless.

verb

To deprive of inhabitants.

verb

To devastate or lay waste somewhere.

verb

To abandon or forsake something.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English desolat(e). See Etymology 2 and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: desolat, desolaten, dēsōlātus

Inflected Forms

more desolate (comparative) most desolate (superlative) desolates (present, singular) desolating (participle, present) desolated (participle, past) desolated (past)

Derived Forms

desolately desolateness desolater desolatory

Frequently Paired Words

desolation

Synonyms

peopleless uninhabited abandoned derelict desert deserted desolate discarded dropped forlorn forsaken high and dry

Antonyms

inhabited populated fertile cheerful comforting

Questions

How do you pronounce desolate?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈdɛs.ə.lət/.
What does desolate mean?
Deserted and devoid of inhabitants.
Where does desolate come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce desolate

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “desolate”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈdɛs.ə.lət/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “desolate”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “desolate” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.