How to Memorize

forlorn - unhappy

Analysis

The word ‘forlorn’ does not just express unhappiness, it also describes a feeling of intense loneliness and even desolation, or a place that embodies those characteristics. It implies a strong sense of isolation, dejection, and hopelessness, making it a term with highly negative connotations.

Example(s)

1. There was a forlornness about Catherine that I hadn’t noticed before. I think she’s been very lonely since her husband died.

2. The business can still be saved if we can find an investor, but at this late stage, that is looking increasingly like a forlorn hope.

3. What was once a huge building site is now left abandoned. All that’s left are a few houses clustered forlornly in an otherwise barren landscape.