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Desolate vs Abolish - What's the difference?

desolate | abolish |

As verbs the difference between desolate and abolish

is that desolate is to deprive of inhabitants while abolish is to end a law, system, institution, custom or practice .

As an adjective desolate

is deserted and devoid of inhabitants.

desolate

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Deserted and devoid of inhabitants.
  • a desolate''' isle; a '''desolate''' wilderness; a '''desolate house
  • * Bible, Jer. ix. 11
  • I will make Jerusalem a den of dragons, and I will make the cities of Judah desolate , without an inhabitant.
  • * Tennyson
  • And the silvery marish flowers that throng / The desolate creeks and pools among.
  • Barren and lifeless.
  • Made unfit for habitation or use; laid waste; neglected; destroyed.
  • desolate altars
  • Dismal or dreary.
  • Sad, forlorn and hopeless.
  • He was left desolate by the early death of his wife.
  • * Keble
  • voice of the poor and desolate

    Verb

    (desolat)
  • To deprive of inhabitants.
  • To devastate or lay waste somewhere.
  • To abandon or forsake something.
  • To make someone sad, forlorn and hopeless.
  • abolish

    English

    Verb

    (es)
  • To end a law, system, institution, custom or practice.
  • Slavery was abolished in the nineteenth century.
  • * 2002', William Schabas, ''The '''abolition of the death penalty in international law (Cambridge University Press):
  • (archaic) To put an end to or destroy, as a physical object; to wipe out.
  • * :
  • And with thy blood abolish so reproachful blot.
  • * :
  • His quick instinctive hand Caught at the hilt, as to abolish him.

    Synonyms

    * abrogate, annul, cancel, dissolve, nullify, repeal, revoke

    Antonyms

    * establish, found

    References