desolation

[ des-uh-ley-shuhn ]

noun

1. an act or instance of destroying or devastating land, population, community, etc:

   The war’s desolation of the land destroyed years of hard and hopeful work.

2. the state of being destroyed or devastated, as land, population, community, etc.:

   The utter desolation of the Western Front was captured in unforgettable photographs.

3. dreariness; barrenness:

   The poet fashions a mood of desolation and despair in his works.

4. deprivation of companionship; loneliness:

   Some homesteaders could not endure the desolation of life on the prairie, and returned to the city.

5. sorrow; grief; woe:

   She was so deep in her desolation, we don’t know if our words of comfort reached her.

6. a desolate place:

   The town was once a desolation.

desolation

/ ˌdɛsəˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of desolating or the state of being desolated; ruin or devastation
2. solitary misery; wretchedness
3. a desolate region; barren waste

Word History and Origins

Origin of desolation¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English desolacioun, dis(s)olacioun, from Late Latin dēsōlātiōn- (stem of dēsōlātiō ) “abandonment,” equivalent to dēsōlāt(us) desolate ( def ) + -iōn- -ion ( def )

Example Sentences

Originally formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1978, The Cure continue to endure as alternative rock’s goth icons - pitching lyrics of love, angst and desolation against a kaleidoscope of melodies.

From BBC

The desolation of Kristofferson's downbeat delivery tells you this song is about much more than a bad hangover.

From BBC

The blistering heat — with an average high temperature that’s more than 100 degrees four months of the year — only heightens the sense of desolation.

From Los Angeles Times

With each strike, he devours the essence of liberty and justice, leaving behind a trail of desolation and despair.

From Salon

He said after watching the fights as a child, he was struck by the desolation of the famous ring.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• anguish
• despair
• loneliness
• misery
• sadness
• sorrow