DESERT(S) Synonyms: 126 Similar and Opposite Words

deserts 1 of 2

noun

plural of desert

as in discipline

suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense the robbers got their just deserts

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deserts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of desert

as in rejects

to leave (a cause or party) often in order to take up another the volunteer became disillusioned with his candidate and deserted to a political rival

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in leaves

to cause to remain behind deserted the kids at the food court for some independent shopping

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of deserts

Noun

Arizona also boasts diverse landscapes and a variety of ecosystems, from alpine forests to deserts, all of which different kinds of bats have fashioned a home. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026 They can also be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, scrub brush, swamps and deserts. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026 Sign up to get expert tips on the best of Southern California's beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains in your inbox every Thursday. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Rather than building on barren deserts, developers often claimed rich grasslands and farms, replacing vital bird habitats with concrete and glass. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026 About 1 in 9 reproductive-age women in the country are uninsured, with the worst rates in the South, rural areas, and maternity care deserts. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 17 Aug. 2026 Despite being named after a mineral that’s most often found in barren deserts, turquoise nails are making a splash this summer. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 17 Aug. 2026 Gramby, 41, founded her practice, Crown of Glory Birth Services, in 2018, partly to help meet the needs of women lacking care in maternity deserts. — Kristin Wright, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 Maternity care deserts lead to worse outcomes for both mother and baby, Warren says. — Alana Semuels, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

Verb

The lowland deserts with cacti and catclaw brush are Gambel’s quail habitat. — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026 And a $208 million Rural Health Transformation award now lets Arkansas confront the maternity care deserts the national conversation overlooks—because when the nearest delivery unit is an hour away, distance itself is a risk factor. — John Boozman, Time, 23 June 2026 Set against the backdrop of Burns’ native city of Liverpool, the drama revolves around a 17-year-old soldier who deserts his post during the Iraq war. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 May 2026 For the San Diego County deserts west winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts 45 to 55 mph, locally up to 60 near the mountain foothills. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026 There are 15 overall child care deserts out of 74 ZIP codes in Tarrant, and 40% of those deserts are considered to be chronic. — Lina Ruiz april 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2026 Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Isabel Greenberg, the upcoming adaptation follows a young bride named Cherry (scream queen Maika Monroe), whose husband (Amir El-Masry) deserts her in the care of the sexy Manfred (Nicholas Galitzine) and her maid, Hero (Emma Corrin). — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025 In California, the warning is in effect for southeastern counties, with temperatures forecast to reach 111 F in Indian Wells Valley; and 115 F in Coachella Valley and San Diego County deserts. — Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deserts

Noun

The university, like campuses nationwide, is barred by federal privacy law from discussing individual discipline cases or internal deliberations, even when a student goes public.

— Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Eisenhower possessed iron discipline, sunny self-confidence and a mind that loved organizational challenges.

— John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of discipline

Verb

When a human accepts, rejects or overrides the agent, the organization can reconstruct why—not from a comment field that made sense to the person who wrote it, but from a structured record that holds its meaning after they're gone.

— Krupesh Bhat, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Israel rejects this, viewing the area as disputed rather than occupied.

— Pesha Magid Reuters, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of rejects

Verb

Xenex LightStrike Infections acquired inside hospitals remain a serious problem, especially when harmful germs survive on surfaces after a patient leaves a room.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Measles spreads through the air and can remain in a room for up to two hours after an infected person leaves.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of leaves

Noun

Trabue had faced charges of complicity to murder and complicity to robbery in the first degree in connection with the February 2025 shooting death of former Louisville corrections officer Michael Saye Wehdah.

— Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Sep. 2026
False information is incorrect and may require a correction or retraction.

— Victoria Marshall, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of correction

Noun

Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment.

— Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Hisbah members also face widespread allegations of rights abuses in their enforcement operations, including subjecting offenders to dehumanizing punishments such as public beatings or shaming.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of punishment

Noun

The detailed clinical guidelines had laid out separate testosterone deficiency screening paths for men and women that were to happen during their annual health assessments.

— Idrees Ali, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
That project was federally approved in 2023 after public meetings and an environmental assessment, which is required under the National Environmental Policy Act.

— Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of assessment

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desertlike

deserts

deserve

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Style

“Deserts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserts. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of deserts

noun

verb

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