forlorn

[fawr-lawrn] / fɔrˈlɔrn /

ADJECTIVE

hopeless, inconsolable

Synonyms

STRONGEST

depressed deserted desolate desperate despondent destitute helpless lonely miserable oppressed pathetic pitiful

WEAK

abandoned alone bereft blue cheerless comfortless cynical defenseless despairing destroyed disconsolate down and out dragging forgotten forsaken friendless fruitless futile godforsaken homeless in the dumps lonesome lost pessimistic pitiable solitary tragic unhappy vain weighed down woebegone wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful elated happy hopeful populated prosperous rich satisfied secure wealthy worthwhile

WEAK

comforted consolable joyful pleased

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In Rome - a weak mentality, a dominated scrum, a broken lineout, a defeated demeanour, an endgame of 29 forlorn phases in the rain.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

Ian Buruma uses this forlorn exhortation as the title of his book, “Stay Alive: Berlin, 1939-1945.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Nothing but dirt and dry, brown chaparral rolled beneath skis and snowboards dangling from a chairlift at Big Bear Mountain Resort on Friday, as forlorn adventure seekers joked they should rename the place “Big Bare.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

Auger-Aliassime reeled off five successive games against an increasingly forlorn Bublik, taking his first match point with a thumping cross-court forehand.

From Barron's • Nov. 1, 2025

Finn looked like he wanted to act stubborn, but he’d gotten stuck on forlorn.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Vocabulary lists containing forlorn

Holes

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 7

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!