desolate

About 2.18 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. adjective Deserted and devoid of inhabitants.

   a desolate isle; a desolate wilderness; a desolate house

2. adjective Barren and lifeless.
3. adjective Made unfit for habitation or use because of neglect, destruction etc.

   desolate altars

4. adjective Dismal or dreary.
5. adjective Sad, forlorn and hopeless.

   He was left desolate by the early death of his wife.

6. verb To deprive of inhabitants.
7. verb To devastate or lay waste somewhere.
8. verb To abandon or forsake something.

Similar words

forsaken forlorn lorn wasted godforsaken inconsolable disconsolate bleak devastate inhospitable

Often followed by

and place as country region the places in spot

Word family

desolated desolately desolateness desolatenesses desolater desolaters desolates desolating desolatingly desolator