deserted
Americanadjective
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abandoned; forsaken.
the problems of deserted wives and children.
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untenanted: without inhabitants.
a deserted village; a deserted farmhouse.
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unfrequented; lonely.
The victim was lured to a deserted spot.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deserted
Explanation
If something’s deserted it’s empty and abandoned. It's fun to spend an afternoon taking pictures of a deserted house with its overgrown yard and mysterious relics, but come nightfall it might feel a little spooky. The adjective deserted often describes an empty building that’s been abandoned by its owners, but you can use it for anything that’s remote or without any people around. You might get the chills when you walk down a deserted street at night. Deserted can also describe something that’s much less crowded than normal. On Super Bowl Sunday, the shopping mall might be deserted — everyone is home, watching the game.
Vocabulary lists containing deserted
Nobody's Home: Synonyms For "Absent"
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Persepolis
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There's No There There: Synonyms for "Empty"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But this isn’t just a deserted patch of sand.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
“The Dog Stars” takes place in a wrecked, deserted 2035, after a viral plague has killed almost everybody on Earth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
He has strained his eyes writing stories in the dark in a deserted gym.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
He deserted his unit earlier this month, Goni said, before relocating to Maiduguri, where he went into hiding with the help of an "associate".
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
“Swore they’d deserted from the English navy! Humph! Neither lad had been off soundings till he sailed with me.”
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
