DictionaryAI

desert

DEZ-urt/ˈdɛz.ɚt/UKDEZ-uht/ˈdɛz.ət/

Pluraldeserts

Verbdeserts, deserting, deserted

Often confused with dessert

8 meanings of desert

Practice

  1. 1
    hot dry landnouncountable or uncountable
    A large area of very dry land where little rain falls and few plants grow.

    Like a giant sandbox that stretches as far as you can see, with almost no water.

    The desert gets very hot during the day and cold at night.

    We packed lots of water before our trip into the hot desert.

    UsageDesert is dry land; dessert, with two s's, is sweet food after a meal.

    Note
  2. 2
    uninhabitedadjective
    With no people living there, or left empty by the people who once lived there.

    Like a house where nobody has lived for many years.

    They were stranded on a desert island for several weeks.

    In the story, a sailor lives alone for years on a desert island.

    UsageSay desert island, but a deserted street.

    Similarabandoned, deserted, uninhabited, vacant, unoccupied

    Oppositeinhabited

    Note
  3. 3
    Saydi-ZURT/dɪˈzɝt/UK/dɪˈzɜːt/
    abandonverbtransitive
    To leave someone or something that needs you, especially after you promised to stay.

    Like walking away from a plant you promised to water, leaving it to dry out.

    He would never desert his friends when they needed him most.

    The captain deserted the sinking ship and its crew.

    Similarabandon, leave, forsake, strand

    Note
  4. 4
    Saydi-ZURT/dɪˈzɝt/UK/dɪˈzɜːt/
    leave the armyverbintransitive
    To run away from the army or your post without permission.

    Like leaving a team game in the middle and never coming back.

    Two soldiers tried to desert during the night.

    He deserted his post and was never seen again.

    UsageOften used alone or with from: soldiers deserted, desert from the army.

    Similarabscond, flee, defect

    Note
  5. 5
    place lackingnounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
    An empty place or situation where something good is missing.

    Like opening a fridge and finding it completely empty when you're hungry.

    The small town was a cultural desert with no theaters or museums.

    Those long years felt like an emotional desert, empty of any joy.

    UsageSay a cultural desert or a food desert.

    Similarwasteland, void, vacuum, wilderness

    Oppositeoasis

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 6
    Saydi-ZURT/dɪˈzɝt/UK/dɪˈzɜːt/
    just rewardnounplural
    What someone deserves, whether a reward for good or a punishment for bad.

    The players who cheated were caught, and most fans said they got their just deserts.

    The villain finally got his just deserts at the end of the story.

    UsageSay get your just deserts (not incorrect: just desserts).

    Similarmerit, due, comeuppance

    Note
  2. 7
    Saydi-ZURT/dɪˈzɝt/UK/dɪˈzɜːt/
    sweet dishnounobsoletecountable or uncountable
    Obsolete spelling of dessert: sweet food eaten after a meal, like cake or ice cream.
    Note
  3. 8
    verbtransitive
    Used of a feeling, quality, or skill that suddenly fails a person at the moment they need it most.

    Stay calm and don't let your courage desert you.

    His usual calm deserted him when the lights went out.

    UsageSay her courage deserted her.

    Similarfail, abandon, leave

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of desert apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2, 5

It came through Old French from Latin, from a word meaning "to abandon."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Meanings 3–4, 8

It came from French, from a Latin word meaning "abandon."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Meaning 6

It came through Old French from a Latin word meaning "to earn by giving service."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts