forlorn
adjective
for·lorn fər-ˈlȯrn 
fȯr-
1
a
: bereft, forsaken
left quite forlorn of hope
b
: sad and lonely because of isolation or desertion : desolate
a forlorn landscape
2
: being in poor condition : miserable, wretched
forlorn tumbledown buildings
3
: nearly hopeless
a forlorn attempt
forlornly adverb
forlornness
fər-ˈlȯrn-nəs
noun fȯr-
Synonyms
- bad
- blue
- brokenhearted
- cast down
- crestfallen
- dejected
- depressed
- despondent
- disconsolate
- doleful
- down
- down in the mouth
- downcast
- downhearted
- droopy
- gloomy
- glum
- hangdog
- heartbroken
- heartsick
- heartsore
- heavyhearted
- inconsolable
- joyless
- low
- low-spirited
- melancholic
- melancholy
- miserable
- mournful
- sad
- saddened
- sorrowful
- sorry
- unhappy
- woebegone
- woeful
- wretched
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Against the forlorn backdrop of the muddy terrain the media circus has left behind, the young mother is photographed for a fashion spread wearing a … white dress. 
James Wolcott, Vanity Fair, September 1998 There is nothing quite so forlorn as a closed factory—Vic Wilcox knows, having supervised a shutdown himself in his time. David Lodge, Nice Work, 1990 Like Ozymandias, once king of kings but now two legs of a broken statue in Percy Shelley's desert, the great facade of Union Station in Washington, D.C., stands forlorn … Stephen Jay Gould, Natural History, November 1986 she was forlorn when she found out the trip had been cancelled a forlorn wanderer far from home
James Wolcott, Vanity Fair, September 1998 There is nothing quite so forlorn as a closed factory—Vic Wilcox knows, having supervised a shutdown himself in his time. David Lodge, Nice Work, 1990 Like Ozymandias, once king of kings but now two legs of a broken statue in Percy Shelley's desert, the great facade of Union Station in Washington, D.C., stands forlorn … Stephen Jay Gould, Natural History, November 1986 she was forlorn when she found out the trip had been cancelled a forlorn wanderer far from home Recent Examples on the Web Chargering is a word invented to describe the myriad ways that games, seasons and entire decades have inexplicably crumbled for this forlorn franchise. Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2022 On the Island of Misfit Toys, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer encounters a forlorn community of would-be Christmas gifts. Mackenzie Chung Fegan, Bon Appétit, 9 Aug. 2022 Though Bruce Wayne was traumatized by witnessed his parents’ murder, the film focuses so heavily on his forlorn expressions and tantrums that his pain seemed merely ornamental. New York Times, 20 July 2022 Cheap, adaptable, and blessed with a long shelf life, tofu is there for you when the fridge is forlorn, chicken thighs long gone, and lettuce tragically wilted. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 11 Aug. 2022 Throughout the match, Prince George—dressed in a dark suit and seated between his parents—made a series of forlorn expressions that are sure to turn into royal memes. Whitney Perry, Glamour, 10 July 2022 There are other concerns about the project, which will remove some 126 acres of trees and 78 acres of woody shrubs that have grown along the meandering path of the forlorn river. David Abel, BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2022 When his best friend and El’s boyfriend, Mike, comes to California to visit, Will’s forlorn glances appear to signal something more than friendly jealousy. Helena Andrews-dyer, Washington Post, 2 July 2022 And then a forlorn shot of the audience, where a fan rises to his feet to give Pia a standing ovation. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 10 June 2022 See More
Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2022 On the Island of Misfit Toys, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer encounters a forlorn community of would-be Christmas gifts. Mackenzie Chung Fegan, Bon Appétit, 9 Aug. 2022 Though Bruce Wayne was traumatized by witnessed his parents’ murder, the film focuses so heavily on his forlorn expressions and tantrums that his pain seemed merely ornamental. New York Times, 20 July 2022 Cheap, adaptable, and blessed with a long shelf life, tofu is there for you when the fridge is forlorn, chicken thighs long gone, and lettuce tragically wilted. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 11 Aug. 2022 Throughout the match, Prince George—dressed in a dark suit and seated between his parents—made a series of forlorn expressions that are sure to turn into royal memes. Whitney Perry, Glamour, 10 July 2022 There are other concerns about the project, which will remove some 126 acres of trees and 78 acres of woody shrubs that have grown along the meandering path of the forlorn river. David Abel, BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2022 When his best friend and El’s boyfriend, Mike, comes to California to visit, Will’s forlorn glances appear to signal something more than friendly jealousy. Helena Andrews-dyer, Washington Post, 2 July 2022 And then a forlorn shot of the audience, where a fan rises to his feet to give Pia a standing ovation. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 10 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English forloren, from Old English, past participle of forlēosan to lose, from for- + lēosan to lose — more at lose
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing forlorn
Kids Definition
forlorn
adjective
for·lorn fər-ˈlȯrn
: sad from being left alone
forlorn
adjective
1
as in sad
feeling unhappiness she was forlorn when she found out the trip had been cancelled Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sad
- unhappy
- heartbroken
- depressed
- miserable
- melancholy
- mournful
- dejected
- woebegone
- sorrowful
- bad
- sorry
- hopeless
- disconsolate
- doleful
- upset
- worried
- heartsick
- crestfallen
- glum
- downcast
- gloomy
- melancholic
- uneasy
- troubled
- downhearted
- disappointed
- despondent
- wretched
- joyless
- inconsolable
- hangdog
- woeful
- brokenhearted
- droopy
- blue
- saddened
- distressed
- depressing
- heavyhearted
- heartsore
- down
- suicidal
- low-spirited
- despairing
- cast down
- discouraged
- low
- tearful
- dispirited
- desolate
- aggrieved
- bleak
- grieving
- unquiet
- weeping
- somber
- plaintive
- anguished
- lugubrious
- disheartened
- sunk
- regretful
- cheerless
- sullen
- dolorous
- down in the mouth
- morose
- lachrymose
- morbid
- rueful
- dismal
- wailing
- drear
- agonized
- dreary
- comfortless
- gray
- dark
- elegiac
- saturnine
- darkening
- funereal
- black
- sombre
- murky
- grey
- elegiacal
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cheerful
- joyous
- jubilant
- joyful
- cheery
- gleeful
- blissful
- happy
- exultant
- buoyant
- exuberant
- sunny
- enraptured
- upbeat
- rapturous
- ecstatic
- buoyed
- jolly
- jovial
- glad
- euphoric
- merry
- hopeful
- elated
- mirthful
- delighted
- optimistic
- exhilarated
- blithesome
- rhapsodic
- rhapsodical
- blithe
- overjoyed
- jocund
- chipper
- rosy
- entranced
- excited
- jocular
- gladsome
- jocose
- lightsome
- gladdened
- sanguine
- spirited
- perky
- smiling
- vivacious
- vital
- energetic
- sprightly
- frisky
- thrilled
- jaunty
- satisfied
- lively
- unconcerned
- springy
- animated
- peppy
- laughing
- bouncing
- grinning
- careless
- carefree
- content
- gratified
- pleased
- insouciant
- encouraged
- heartened
- lighthearted
- easygoing
- zippy
- beaming
- cavalier
- boon
- sprightful
- happy-go-lucky
- devil-may-care
2
as in lonely
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others a forlorn wanderer far from home Synonyms & Similar Words
- lonely
- lonesome
- lone
- desolate
- lorn
- deserted
- solitary
- neglected
- forgotten
- forsaken
- abandoned
- friendless
- rejected
- alone
- solo
- unaccompanied
- only
- sole
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- accompanied
- attended
- escorted
3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer a forlorn little town whose brief economic boom ended decades ago Synonyms & Similar Words
- lonely
- bleak
- desolate
- somber
- dark
- depressive
- depressing
- darkening
- lonesome
- solemn
- murky
- gray
- morbid
- cold
- miserable
- wretched
- disconsolate
- cheerless
- sullen
- sad
- depressed
- morose
- glum
- blue
- gloomy
- lugubrious
- dismal
- drear
- black
- dreary
- comfortless
- melancholy
- elegiac
- godforsaken
- sepulchral
- chill
- funereal
- saturnine
- grey
- dire
- dejected
- woebegone
- tenebrous
- sombre
- oppressive
- cloudy
- desperate
- hopeless
- unhappy
- mournful
- plutonian
- sunless
- melancholic
- dreich
- despondent
- elegiacal
- hangdog
- inconsolable
- grim
- dull
- woeful
- dim
- sorrowful
- mirthless
- droopy
- tenebrific
- distressful
- dispiriting
- menacing
- discouraging
- plaintive
- pessimistic
- dismaying
- discomfiting
- upsetting
- Cimmerian
- negative
- down
- disheartening
- distressing
- drab
- low
- lamentable
- dour
- colorless
- threatening
- louring
- lowery
- lowering
- loury
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cheerful
- cheery
- bright
- festive
- joyous
- comforting
- friendly
- joyful
- jolly
- sunshiny
- hopeful
- merry
- gay
- mirthful
- optimistic
- buoyant
- blithe
- cordial
- gay
- blithesome
- heartwarming
- jocund
- cheering
- encouraging
- lighthearted
- lightsome
4
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope the forlorn expression of a candidate who knows that he hasn't a prayer of winning the election Synonyms & Similar Words
- desperate
- hopeless
- sad
- unhappy
- mournful
- despairing
- bleak
- disappointed
- despondent
- cynical
- melancholy
- heartbroken
- depressed
- dark
- dejected
- woebegone
- disconsolate
- doleful
- sorrowful
- heartsick
- depressing
- crestfallen
- glum
- downcast
- gloomy
- miserable
- downhearted
- dispirited
- desolate
- joyless
- abject
- inconsolable
- hangdog
- woeful
- heartsore
- cheerless
- weeping
- wretched
- discouraged
- blue
- brokenhearted
- accepting
- grieving
- saddened
- sorry
- disheartened
- wailing
- resigned
- dismal
- drear
- dreary
- comfortless
- down
- low
- low-spirited
- pessimistic
- funereal
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- hopeful
- optimistic
- exultant
- exuberant
- enraptured
- ecstatic
- euphoric
- jolly
- jovial
- merry
- mirthful
- blithe
- elated
- exhilarated
- gay
- cheerful
- joyous
- blithesome
- perky
- jocund
- jubilant
- joyful
- vivacious
- cheery
- entranced
- sprightly
- gleeful
- blissful
- jaunty
- happy
- buoyant
- lively
- sunny
- upbeat
- animated
- lightsome
- glad
- encouraged
- delighted
- heartened
- chipper
- gladsome
- gladdened
- sprightful
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of forlorn are alone, desolate, lonely, lonesome, lone, and solitary. While all these words mean "isolated from others," forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.
a forlorn lost child
While the synonyms alone and forlorn are close in meaning, alone stresses the objective fact of being by oneself with slighter notion of emotional involvement than most of the remaining terms.
everyone needs to be alone sometimes
The meanings of desolate and forlorn largely overlap; however, desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.
desolate after her brother's death
Lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.
a lone robin pecking at the lawn
Lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.
felt lonely and forsaken
While in some cases nearly identical to forlorn, lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.
an only child often leads a lonesome life
The words solitary and forlorn can be used in similar contexts, but solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course, but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.
glorying in the calm of her solitary life
left solitary by the death of his wife