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.
A community garden has replaced a drug market, a library stands where an unofficial dumping ground once accumulated milk crates, and formerly deserted blocks now have families moving in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Destroyed buildings east of Deir al Balah, where farmland and residential areas appear largely deserted following the advance of the Yellow Line.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
AFP saw walkways, sun loungers and a restaurant terrace at the hotel deserted.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 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
On New Year’s Eve the parlor was deserted, for the two younger girls played dressing maids and the two elder were absorbed in the all-important business of ‘getting ready for the party’.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
