# desolation

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌdɛsəˈleɪʃən/ · frequency rank #27,804

## Definitions
1. The act of desolating or laying waste; destruction of inhabitants; depopulation.
2. The state of being desolated or laid waste
3. A place or country wasted and forsaken.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English desolacioun, from Middle French, Old French desolacion f, from Latin dēsōlātiō f.

## Easily confused with
- **detonation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/desolation-vs-detonation)
- **devolution** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/desolation-vs-devolution)
- **deflation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deflation-vs-desolation)
- **decoration** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoration-vs-desolation)
- **demolition** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/demolition-vs-desolation)

## Common misspellings (15)
`ddesolation`, `deoslation`, `desloation`, `desoaltion`, `desolaiton`, `desolasion`, `desolatino`, `desolationn`, `desolatoin`, `desolattion`, `desollation`, `desoltaion`, `dessolation`, `dseolation`, `edsolation`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/desolation