desolation.

1. A state of devastated emptiness or abandonment.

2. An intense sense of loss, isolation, or sorrow.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• landscape of desolation
• desolation of ruins

On the page

The courtyard opened onto a scene of desolation.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Usually uncountable; no ordinary plural in this sense. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: character, atmosphere, interpretation. Commonness: moderately common.