Describing a person or animal whose eyes convey a sense of loneliness, abandonment, hopelessness, or profound sadness. It implies a visible display of dejection and often suggests a longing for connection, comfort, or a better state of being. The gaze is typically vacant or downcast, reflecting an inner state of despondency. The term suggests a vulnerability and often elicits empathy from the observer. The eyes are the primary means of conveying this despondent emotion. The expression speaks volumes, hinting at past hardships or current suffering.
Forlorn-eyed meaning with examples
- The stray dog, huddled in the alley, had forlorn-eyed and shivered in the cold rain, its gaze fixed on passersby, hoping for a kind gesture. Its thin frame and matted fur intensified the impression of abject abandonment, making anyone who saw it pity the dog for its plight, its eyes screaming for help and a place to call home.
- After the crushing defeat, the team captain sat on the bench, forlorn-eyed. His shoulders slumped, his face was etched with disappointment, the loss hanging heavily in the air. The weight of the failure was evident in his gaze; his dejected demeanor spoke volumes about the dreams shattered on the field, the hopes that had faded with each passing minute.
- The refugee child, separated from their family, stared with forlorn-eyed at the bustling crowd, unsure of their surroundings and terrified. Their wide, uncertain eyes were filled with a palpable sense of loss and displacement, communicating the trauma they had experienced and their desperate yearning for reassurance and reunion with those they loved.
- The prisoner, after years of confinement, stood in the doorway, forlorn-eyed. The sunlight seemed to hurt their gaze and the unfamiliar sights seemed to make their face darken, showcasing a weary, haunted expression. The depths of despair and loss could not be fully imagined; the silence echoed with years of suffering, of life suspended in the darkness.