lonelier; loneliest
1
: sad from being apart from other people
He was/felt lonely without his wife and children.
a lonely old man
feeling lonely
She was a lonely child with few friends.
2
: causing sad feelings that come from being apart from other people
It was lonely living out in the country.
She spent too many lonely nights at home.
She had a lonely childhood.
It's lonely at the top. [=powerful and successful people often have few friends]
3
: not visited by or traveled on by many people
a lonely spot in the woods
a lonely stretch of road
Cite this Entry
“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/lonely. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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