chiefly US
1
: sad from being apart from other people : lonely
He was/felt lonesome for his family.
2
: causing sad feelings that come from being apart from other people : lonely
The empty house seemed so lonesome.
3
: not visited by or traveled on by many people : lonely
a lonesome highway
the lonesome frontier
Cite this Entry
“Lonesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/lonesome. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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