marooned
Americanadjective
-
abandoned on a desolate island or coast by way of punishment or the like, as was done by buccaneers.
In exchange for food supplies left for them on the island, the marooned mutineers handed over the ship's instruments and charts.
-
placed or left in an isolated and often dangerous position.
Getting flood relief to the marooned villages has proved difficult.
-
abandoned or stuck somewhere without resources.
When flights were grounded after 9/11, Canadians offered their hospitality and their homes to put up marooned Americans.
verb
Etymology
Origin of marooned
Explanation
Someone who's marooned is stranded. When a sailor's boat is washed up on the shore of a deserted island after a big storm, both the sailor and the boat are marooned. If a teenager is abandoned at the mall by her friends, you could describe her as marooned. A marooned cruise ship that's stuck on a rocky beach is probably full of marooned passengers.
Vocabulary lists containing marooned
Minecraft: The Island
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Worst Class Trip Ever
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Two Roads
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Nguyen is struggling to piece together the logic that led to his client being marooned in a country where he had no ties.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
The fallout has been personal and immediate: holidays canceled, families unable to bring medicine to aging relatives, and cash-strapped Venezuelans marooned abroad.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
If I was marooned on an island and could bring only one film from the entire history of Hollywood, I’d choose Reiner’s 1987 adventure “The Princess Bride.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2025
"People marooned on rooftops are asking to be rescued," Cebu information officer Rhon Ramos told AFP by phone, adding that even some evacuation centres had been flooded.
From Barron's • Nov. 4, 2025
“Oh, you mean the gong that by rights is mine, as restitution for the way you marooned me on that island?”
From "The Reader" by Traci Chee
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.
