lonely

adjective

lone·​ly ˈlōn-lē How to pronounce lonely (audio)
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 stationsRobert 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 championG. B. Shaw
loneliness noun
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 In writer/director Stimson Stead’s irreverent world premiere, Dunning plays numerous versions of lonely, crackpot scientist Tim Travers, inventor of a time machine that spins the universe off its axis, and also kills off multiple versions of his younger self. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 The sole exception is Kaya Blanke (Carra Patterson), a lonely and competent police officer who warms quickly to Tascioni and appreciates her talents. Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 The journey was very lonely at the beginning as there were few women in tech, and those few were mainly selling either hardware or tech products. Nihinlola Adeyemi, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Mulligan doesn’t get to do a lot besides look lonely, except in flashes during Jakub’s visions. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 26 Feb. 2024 The interdependent redwoods, which have survived more than a century of clear-cutting, wildfires and climate change, are a symbol of the resilience and community these three lonely souls desperately need. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2024 After a lifetime of being solo in the frame, the lonely woman lying in a pool of fake blood, Foster found great satisfaction in playing a supporting role. Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2024 Parenting can feel lonely and stressful, and the pressure to get it all right is real, especially in the age of social media. Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 15 Feb. 2024 So Odysseus, like its namesake, is on a long, lonely voyage, hoping to break the streak and be the first to reach its destination safely. IEEE Spectrum, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lonely.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near lonely

Cite this Entry

“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lonely. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lonely

adjective
lone·​ly ˈlōn-lē How to pronounce lonely (audio)
lonelier; loneliest
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

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