1
as in lone
not being in the company of others
a single lonely cactus in the desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lonesome
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others
I was lonely when I first got to Los Angeles, but I soon made friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the lonely streets of a honky-tonk beach town in the off-season
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lonely
According to the American Psychological Association, 1 in 3 American adults report feeling lonely every week.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
The American Psychiatric Association reports that 1 in 3 American adults feel lonely every week.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Turning around the lonely life of 8-year-old Bonnie (voiced by Scarlett Spears) becomes an urgent mission for the toys.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Today, Cobbs, 36, splits her time between southeastern San Diego and Atlanta, and took some time to talk about her work, and being able to help other people feel a little less lonely.
—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lonely
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
The American Psychiatric Association reports that 1 in 3 American adults feel lonely every week.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Turning around the lonely life of 8-year-old Bonnie (voiced by Scarlett Spears) becomes an urgent mission for the toys.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Today, Cobbs, 36, splits her time between southeastern San Diego and Atlanta, and took some time to talk about her work, and being able to help other people feel a little less lonely.
—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lonely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lonely
Adjective
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That could lead to Arraez making it in as a reserve, or the Giants’ lone selection or selections being a pitcher or pitchers.
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The sun was blinding, my lone witness.
Adjective
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Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman was the lonesome dove.
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Sure, Cline is from Virginia, but the country singer’s bold and lonesome voice seems to embody the state’s bold and lonesome landscape.
Adjective
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The goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappeared, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.
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Cher’s court documents paint a bleak picture of how Allman, 49, allegedly blows through his $120,000 annual trust distributions.
Adjective
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In another, a solitary fighter performs martial arts, training as part of the elite Black Wasps unit, Cuba’s equivalent of the US Navy SEALs or Delta Force.
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Keep a distance from tall, solitary trees or other elevated structures.
Adjective
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Wilderness Little Kulala is about a 45-minute drive outside the park, located in a seemingly desolate rocky plain with harsh, jagged mountains interspersed throughout the flatlands.
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Most of the women disappeared between 2000 and 2010, and most of their remains were found on a desolate parkway not far from Long Island’s Gilgo Beach, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Manhattan.
Adjective
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Tourism and city officials say that marketplace channels festival foot traffic directly to Black entrepreneurs and helps keep dollars circulating in local neighborhoods long after the stages go dark.
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Jason kept the look casual in a light blue graphic T-shirt, white shorts, a baseball cap and dark sunglasses.
Adjective
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That was the most of any player in that tournament, earning Kane the Golden Boot that year and tying Lineker’s record for the most goals by an England player in a single World Cup.
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Under state law, any single gift — or multiple gifts from the same source that add up to $50 or more during the annual period — must be disclosed.
Adjective
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Before pushing the film into its final forlorn section, the excitement that something sexy might happen charges the actors.
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There is a profound helplessness to that forlorn glance that the main broadcast could never capture.
Cite this Entry
“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lonely. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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