adj

forlorn

fuh-LAWN

adj

Sad and lonely, especially from feeling abandoned.

"The dog sat forlorn by the door, waiting for its owner to return."

"She wore a forlorn expression after hearing the news."

Unlikely to succeed; nearly hopeless.

"It was a forlorn attempt to save the failing business."

How to Use Forlorn

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFeeling sad and abandoned, or describing a hopeless, unlikely-to-work situation.

Common pairings

forlorn hope a forlorn figure look forlorn

forlorner comparative, more forlorn comparative, forlorns plural, forlornest superlative, most forlorn superlative

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The dog sat _____ by the door, waiting for its owner to return.

From Old English forloren, the past participle of forlēosan ("to lose") — related to "lorn," meaning lost or abandoned.