forlorn
for·lorn/fɚˈlɔɹn/adjective, noun
forlorn is spelled F-O-R-L-O-R-N: 7 letters and 2 syllables (for·lorn). It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 35,748th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, forlorn means “Abandoned, deserted, left behind” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in forlorn?
| Letters | 7: F-O-R-L-O-R-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: for·lorn |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 35,748th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is forlorn?
Forlorn appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 35,748th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce forlorn?
- UK /fəˈlɔːn/
- UK /fɔːˈlɔːn/
- US /fɚˈlɔɹn/
Forlorn has 2 syllables, split for·lorn in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-forlorn.ogg, En-au-forlorn.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with forlorn?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as forlorn from its last stressed vowel (/ɔɹn/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of forlorn
- forlorner comparative
- more forlorn comparative
- forlornest superlative
- most forlorn superlative
- forlorne
- forlorns plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does forlorn mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Abandoned, deserted, left behind.
- 2
Pitifully sad, wretched, miserable; lonely, especially from feeling abandoned, deserted, forsaken.
- 3
Unlikely to succeed; hopeless.
noun
- 1
A forlorn hope.
- 2
A member of a forlorn hope.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Forlorn in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | abandonné, perdu , misérable , désespéré |
| German | verlassen , aussichtslos, hoffnungslos |
| Portuguese | abandonado , desamparado |
| Spanish | abandonado , desamparado , desesperado |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does forlorn come from?
From Middle English forlorn, forloren, from Old English forloren (past participle of forlēosan (“to lose”)), from Proto-Germanic *fraluzanaz (“lost”), past participle of Proto-Germanic *fraleusaną (“to lose”), equivalent to for- + lorn. Cognate with West Frisian ferlern (“lost”), Saterland Frisian ferlädden (“lost”), Dutch verloren (“lost”), German Low German verloren (“lost”), German verloren (“lost”), Swedish förlorad (“lost”). See further at lese/leese, lorn.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).