lonely

adjective

lone·ly | \ ˈlōn-lē

lonelier; loneliest

Definition of lonely

1a : 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

Other Words from lonely Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about lonely

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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

Wosskow adds that entrepreneurialism can be lonely and hard. — Prue Lewington, Harper's BAZAAR, "This Career Club Is the Global Sisterhood You've Always Wanted," 11 Feb. 2019 The future battlefield could become a lonely place with robotic vehicles fighting robotic vehicles. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "This Tank-Killer Robot Could Revolutionize Ground Warfare," 14 June 2018 To Fretting: Empty lake houses far away from family and friends, where working-age kids visit for a few times a year, can be very lonely places. — Carolyn Hax, Detroit Free Press, "Thought of moving to another town causes anxiety," 12 June 2018 Barkley Island, home of the Dubs Haters, would become a very lonely place, rather than a destination resort. — Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, "The Warriors, looking beyond the moment to the greatness that awaits," 13 May 2018 Barn 25, tucked away in the far corner of Churchill Downs' backstretch near a road, can be a pretty lonely place. — John Cherwa, latimes.com, "Trainers say more horses in the Kentucky Derby doesn't equal a strategic advantage," 5 May 2018 The foul line can be a lonely, unsheltered place when the rest of the basketball world is judging you, again and again, based on your biggest weakness instead of your many strengths. — Ben Golliver, SI.com, "The All-Bullseye Team: Five All-Stars Facing Serious Playoff Pressure," 4 Apr. 2018 Video poker is the game on the top of the bar at the loneliest diner in America. — Stephen A. Crockett Jr., The Root, "Floyd Mayweather Jr. Won $100,000 Video-Poker Jackpot, Proving That Life Is Unfair," 15 May 2018 Hearing that the local mall Santa was lonely, Jessica Barber, center front, and her coworkers went to visit him. — Jennifer Levitz, WSJ, "Sad Santas Confront Empty Malls: ‘Do I Have Something in My Beard?’," 17 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lonely.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.