lonely

adjective

lone·​ly ˈlōn-lē 

lonelier; loneliest

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 

noun

Synonyms

• alone
• lone
• lonesome
• single
• solitary
• solo
• unaccompanied

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

As found in the survey, adults who experience daily loneliness are nearly five times more likely to rate their current life poorly compared to those who aren’t lonely. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025

Skeletal branches created a cathedral over the lonely vehicle where the 64-year-old man had breathed his last, the winter-gray river placid in the background behind a ramble of fences. —Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2025

Though his father, Robert Daley, supported him tirelessly — driving him to practice and cheering for him on the sidelines — international training camps and competitions took Daley far from home, often leaving him lonely and overwhelmed. —Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 7 June 2025

There’s a third reminder, too: One person’s eyeroll is another’s shattering and beautiful reminder that life is beautiful, maybe harsh and sometimes lonely and full of wrong turns with a possible apocalypse looming. —Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lonely

• it's lonely at the top
• lonely hearts
• plough a lone/lonely furrow

Rhymes for lonely

• only

Kids Definition

lonely

adjective

lone·​ly ˈlōn-lē 

lonelier; loneliest

1

: lone sense 1

2

: not visited by human beings : desolate

a lonely spot

3

: lonesome sense 1

feeling lonely

loneliness noun