lonely

adjective

lone·​ly ˈlōn-lē How to pronounce lonely (audio)
lonelier; loneliest
Synonyms of lonelynext
1
a
: being without company : lone
too many lonely nights at home
b
: cut off from others : solitary
the train stopped frequently at lonely little stations—Robert Hichens
2
: not frequented by human beings : desolate
a lonely spot in the woods
3
: sad from being alone : lonesome
He was feeling lonely without his wife and children.
4
: producing a feeling of bleakness or desolation
it's a lonely thing to be a champion—G. B. Shaw
loneliness
ˈlōn-lē-nəs How to pronounce lonely (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for lonely

alone, solitary, lonely, lonesome, lone, forlorn, desolate mean isolated from others.

alone stresses the objective fact of being by oneself with slighter notion of emotional involvement than most of the remaining terms.

everyone needs to be alone sometimes

solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course

glorying in the calm of her solitary life

but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

left solitary by the death of his wife

lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

Examples of lonely in a Sentence

He was lonely without his wife and children. She was a lonely child with few friends. It was lonely living out in the country. She spent too many lonely nights at home. She had a lonely childhood. a lonely spot in the woods a lonely stretch of road
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These fraudsters typically use social media platforms or dating websites to initiate contact, presenting themselves as lonely soldiers stationed overseas. —Lars Daniel, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024 The Army and Marines don’t get lonely and stressed. —Tj Hutchinson, The Denver Post, 14 Nov. 2024 Horizon Worlds can be a lonely place on the best of days, but there are signs of life on election night as the population ebbs and flows. —Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 6 Nov. 2024 While fully remote workers, on average, were slightly lonelier — other factors were more impactful. —Christine Clarridge, Axios, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lonely 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of lonely was circa 1598

Phrases Containing lonely

Dictionary Entries Near lonely

lonelily

lonely

lonely hearts

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lonely. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

lonely

adjective
lone·​ly ˈlōn-lē How to pronounce lonely (audio)
lonelier; loneliest
1
: lone sense 1
2
: not visited by human beings : desolate
a lonely spot
3
: lonesome sense 1
feeling lonely
loneliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lonely

Nglish: Translation of lonely for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of lonely for Arabic Speakers

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