Desolate
Desolate adjective - Causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer.
Usage example: a desolate house abandoned many years ago
Dismal is a synonym for desolate in barren topic. In some cases you can use "Dismal" instead the word "Desolate" as an adjective or a noun, when it comes to topics like depressed, miserable, gloomy, happy. popular alternative
Dismal
Dismal adjective - Causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer.
Usage example: a suitably dismal setting for a haunted house
Desolate is a synonym for dismal in gloomy topic. You can use "Desolate" instead an adjective "Dismal", if it concerns topics such as bleak, barren, dingy, happy. popular alternative
Nearby Word: dismally
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Cite this Source
Dismal and Desolate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/desolate/dismal
Desolate & Dismal. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/desolate/dismal>.
Dismal or Desolate. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/desolate/dismal.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "desolate" and "dismal" have occurred on timeline