lonely

play

adjective lone·ly \ˈlōn-lē\

Definition of lonely

lonelier

;

loneliest

1a : being without company : lone too many lonely nights at homeb : 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

play \ˈlōn-lē-nəs\ noun

See lonely defined for English-language learners

See lonely defined for kids

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 of lonely from the Web

Tuesday nights have sure become lonely without Pretty Little Liars, but some fans think Lucy Hale might be headed to another popular TV series: Riverdale.

— de elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Lucy Hale Comments on Madelaine Petsch's Instagram," 17 July 2017
Combat, for me at least, has always seemed like a terrifying and lonely place.

— andrew katz, TIME.com, "‘My mind will stay there forever’," 17 July 2017
GOSTKOWSKI’S HEAD GAMES: How his career as a collegiate pitcher helped steel him for the loneliest job in the NFL.

— robert klemko, The MMQB, "How does Tim Tebow compare up to other two-sport minor leaguers?," 13 July 2017
Look upon its stony facade and know that someone is inside that immense place, swimming lonely laps or lying on the roof terrace, gazing up at the mottled night sky and thinking of orphans.

— richard lawson, Vanities, "Will This Be the Fanciest Home in the West Village?," 11 July 2017
Look upon its stony facade and know that someone is inside that immense place, swimming lonely laps or lying on the roof terrace, gazing up at the mottled night sky and thinking of orphans.

— vanityfair.com, "Will This Be the Fanciest Home in the West Village?," 11 July 2017
Overhead shots of lonely landscapes, moodily photographed in the rain and mud by cinematographer Chan Chor-keung, are dotted with stone Buddhas carved into a mountainside.

— deborah young, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Explosion': Film Review | Shanghai 2017," 1 July 2017
There’s a lot of work showing that when people are lonely and experiencing any physical stressor—whether it’s pain or illness—

— markham heid, Time, "You Asked: Why Do Summer Colds Feel So Much Worse?," 21 June 2017
Outside the Third Man Records storefront on Detroit's long, lonely Cass Corridor, a line of tents, sleeping bags, and lawn chairs stretches fifty yards.

— kevin dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "Welcome to Jack White's Temple to Vinyl," 20 June 2017

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.

First Known Use of lonely

circa 1598

Synonym Discussion of 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

LONELY Defined for English Language Learners

lonely

play

adjective

Definition of lonely for English Language Learners

: sad from being apart from other people
: causing sad feelings that come from being apart from other people
: not visited by or traveled on by many people

LONELY Defined for Kids

lonely

play

adjective lone·ly \ˈlōn-lē\

Definition of lonely for Students

lonelier

;

loneliest

1 : lone 1 I saw a lonely figure in the distance.
2 : not often visited a lonely spot
3 : sad from being alone : lonesome a lonely child
4 : producing sad feelings from being alone I spent a lonely evening at home.