desert synonyms

desert

n.

waste, sand, wastelands, sahara, wilderness, badlands, barren plains, barrens, arid region, deserted region, sand dunes, lava beds, uncultivated expanse, infertile area, infertile region, salt flats, alkali flats, abandoned country, dust bowl; see also wilderness. See syn. study at waste.

Famous deserts include: Sahara, Kalahari, Kara Kum, Great Basin, Sonoran, Painted, Death Valley, Mojave, Atakama, Negev, Arabian, Rub" al Khali, Great Sandy, Dahna, Patagonian, Persian, Samnan, Tarim, Sinkiang, Gobi, Shamo, Great Victoria, Great Australian, Gidi, Libyan.

desert

v.

  1. To abandon in time of trouble

    forsake, leave, quit; see abandon 1, 2.

  2. To leave military service, one's post, etc.

    defect, be absent without leave, abandon one's post, sneak off, make off, abscond, run away from duty, run away from military service, go AWOL*, decamp, violate one's oath, leave unlawfully, go over the hill*, rat*, take French leave*, play truant*; see also abandon 2.

    Antonyms obey*, stay*, do one's duty. See syn. study at abandon.abandon.

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.