The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Desolate \Des"o*late\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desolated; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Desolating.]
   1. To make desolate; to leave alone; to deprive of
      inhabitants; as, the earth was nearly desolated by the
      flood.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To lay waste; to ruin; to ravage; as, a fire desolates a
      city.
      [1913 Webster]

            Constructed in the very heart of a desolating war.
                                                  --Sparks.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

desolated \desolated\ adj.
   reduced to a barren and lifeless state.

   Syn: blasted, desolate, devastated, ravaged, ruined, wasted.
        [WordNet 1.5]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

35 Moby Thesaurus words for "desolated":
   ausgespielt, bankrupt, blasted, blighted, broken, broken-down,
   brokenhearted, crushed, cut up, destroyed, devastated, done for,
   done in, down-and-out, fallen, finished, gone to pot,
   heart-stricken, heart-struck, heartbroken, in ruins, inundated,
   irremediable, kaput, overcome, overthrown, overwhelmed, ravaged,
   ruined, ruinous, spoiled, stricken, undone, wasted, wrecked