1
as in lone
not being in the company of others
a single lonely cactus in the desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lonesome
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others
I was lonely when I first got to Los Angeles, but I soon made friends
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the lonely streets of a honky-tonk beach town in the off-season
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lonely
Research backs up that lonely seniors are more likely to have severe health issues.
—
South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2025
Against that, Colossal’s three dire wolves spending their entire lives in a 2,000-acre preserve could be awfully lonely and claustrophobic—not at all the way wild dire wolves would live their lives.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
This keeps us lonely at a time when the loneliness public health crisis is at an all-time high.
—Priya Vulchi, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
Ro, now a police officer, needs help investigating the death 22 years earlier of their classmate, Ricky, killed in a hit-and-run on a lonely county road.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lonely
South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2025
Against that, Colossal’s three dire wolves spending their entire lives in a 2,000-acre preserve could be awfully lonely and claustrophobic—not at all the way wild dire wolves would live their lives.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
This keeps us lonely at a time when the loneliness public health crisis is at an all-time high.
—Priya Vulchi, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
Ro, now a police officer, needs help investigating the death 22 years earlier of their classmate, Ricky, killed in a hit-and-run on a lonely county road.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lonely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lonely
Adjective
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Fairfield transfer Lou Lopez Senechal played nearly 32 minutes per game in her lone season with the Huskies in 2023-24, leading the team in 3-point percentage and averaging 15.5 points.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2025
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The lone exceptions might be Nikola Jovic and Kevin Love.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Though the film eventually finds its way to Saoirse Ronan’s captivating lead performance as a recovering alcoholic, The Outrun begins underwater, observing a lonesome seal in the North Sea.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
TIME,
4 Oct. 2024
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Alison Krauss will sell no high, lonesome sound before its time.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The observations from Drewry’s and Moody’s, as well as the scenario floated by McCown, follow a bleak outlook for the middle of May out of the biggest port in the U.S.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
25 Apr. 2025
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Complicating matters further is a bleak hydrological outlook.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The image of the solitary pontiff lifting the monstrance into the darkest of dark nights was a gesture that acknowledged and in some ways healed those suffering isolation and grief.—
The Editors,
National Review,
21 Apr. 2025
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The work often involves periods of solitary focus on restoration or assembly, providing a peaceful work atmosphere that contrasts sharply with high-pressure corporate environments.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Memphis rapper began the show with dramatics, rising on a giant platform with her back to the audience as a screen behind her projected the image of a desolate street.—
John Lonsdale,
Rolling Stone,
12 Apr. 2025
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The food and atmosphere had people from across the city willing to venture to a desolate stretch of Bushwick.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Infused with glutathione, vitamin C, and niacinamide, they’re formulated to brighten hyperpigmentation and dark spots, all while improving uneven skin tone and reviving dull skin.—
Denise Primbet,
Glamour,
28 Apr. 2025
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Shows this dark need moments of beauty, and this episode provided those in spades.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Each plane has four single suites and four side-by-side suites, two of each at the front of each business class cabin.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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And over the weekend, Coincident became the first player to defeat every enemy and complete the map in a single segment during a livestreamed marathon run that clocked in at just over six hours.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Mad Men echoes are tough to shake, too: There are shots in here, like Coop looking forlorn in an elevator, that might as well be episodic photos from Mad Men.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
11 Apr. 2025
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This funny, strange and fundamentally forlorn film about the city’s gentrification provided a breakout role for Jonathan Majors as a lost artistic soul.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lonely. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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