forsaken

A child feels forsaken in the empty playground.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Abandoned or deserted: "forsaken" describes someone or something that has been completely abandoned, left behind, or given up, often with a sense of emotional or physical isolation.
   • Relinquished or cast off: It can also refer to something that has been renounced or rejected, such as a habit, place, or belief.

2. Verb (past participle of forsake):

   • To have abandoned or renounced: As a past participle, "forsaken" indicates that an action of leaving or giving up has been completed.

     • He had forsaken his family for a life of adventure. (He abandoned them permanently.)

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The old house stood alone, a forsaken relic of a bygone era. (The house was completely abandoned and neglected.)
  • She felt utterly forsaken after her friends moved away. (She experienced deep loneliness and abandonment.)

• Verb (past participle):

  • The soldier had forsaken his post during the battle. (He abandoned his duty.)
  • They have forsaken their traditional customs for modern ways. (They have given up their old practices.)

Advanced Usage

• "forsaken by God": A phrase used in religious or poetic contexts to express extreme abandonment or despair.

  • In his darkest hour, he cried out as if forsaken by God. (He felt completely alone, without divine help.)

• "forsaken place": A location that is uninhabited, ruined, or forgotten.

  • The desert was a vast, forsaken landscape of sand and rock. (A barren, empty area.)

Variants and Related Words

• Forsake (verb): the base form of the word, meaning to abandon or renounce.

  • She decided to forsake her old habits. (She chose to give them up.)

• Forsakenness (noun): the state or condition of being forsaken.

  • The forsakenness of the orphan was palpable. (The loneliness and abandonment were obvious.)

• Unforsaken (adjective): not abandoned or deserted.

  • He remained unforsaken by his loyal friends. (His friends never left him.)

Synonyms

• Abandoned: left behind or deserted.

  • The abandoned car was rusting in the field. (Similar to "forsaken" but often less emotional.)

• Deserted: empty of people; left alone.

  • The deserted street was eerie at night. (Implies emptiness rather than emotional rejection.)

• Forlorn: pitifully sad and abandoned.

  • The forlorn puppy waited by the door. (Emphasizes sadness and hopelessness.)

Related Idioms

• "A forsaken cause": a goal or belief that has been given up or is no longer supported.

  • His campaign to save the library became a forsaken cause after funding was cut. (An abandoned effort.)

• "Left high and dry": abandoned in a difficult situation without help.

  • When the company closed, the workers were left high and dry. (Similar to being forsaken without support.)