the differences between forsake, abandon and desert

[chance22]

I am doing an excercise of near-synonyms. I feel really confused about three words "forsake, abandon, desert". What're the differences between them?
E.g.
1. At eighteen, she ran away, ______ her home and friends. (It's supposed to be forsaking, but can I use abandoning or deserting?)
2. He ______ his wife and went away with all their money. (The answer is abandoned, and can I use the other two words?)
3. After the age of about thirty, they abandoned their individual ambition. Can "forsake" or "give up"be used here? Since people can forsake an ideal
4. It is despicable to desert your children. Then is it possible to say abandon? Can we say abandon a child is despicable?

 

[probus]

These are extremely interesting questions to me, but our rules prohibit us from assisting you with your homework.

 

[chance22]

These are extremely interesting questions to me, but our rules prohibit us from assisting you with your homework.

Oh, I just want to know if there's difference between these words and if other words can also replace the given key.

 

[chance22]

These are extremely interesting questions to me, but our rules prohibit us from assisting you with your homework.

Oh, I have the answer, but I'm wondering about the difference between these words and if the other words can also replace the given key.

 

[Raymott]

Oh, I just want to know if there's difference between these words and if other words can also replace the given key.

Yes, there is a difference, but it's more in usage than in meaning. To understand the distinctions, you need experience.
You can forsake a dream to study at university, but you can't desert a dream.
You can forsake something you never had, as in forsaking a career in law to play the cello in an orchestra. That is not abandoning or deserting the career.
So, yes, some of those choices can take more than one of those words, but usually not all three.

 

[chance22]

Thank Raymott, then is it possible to say "It is despicable to abandon your children"?.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank Raymott, then is it possible to say "It is despicable to abandon your children"?.

Yes.

 

[HanibalII]

Thank Raymott, then is it possible to say "It is despicable to abandon your children"?.

Yes.