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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word lonely distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of lonely are alone, desolate, forlorn, lonesome, lone, and solitary. While all these words mean "isolated from others," lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

When is it sensible to use alone instead of lonely?

In some situations, the words alone and lonely are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When could desolate be used to replace lonely?

The synonyms desolate and lonely are sometimes interchangeable, but desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

Where would forlorn be a reasonable alternative to lonely?

The words forlorn and lonely are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

How does the word lone relate to other synonyms for lonely?

Lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

In what contexts can lonesome take the place of lonely?

The words lonesome and lonely can be used in similar contexts, but lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

When would solitary be a good substitute for lonely?

While the synonyms solitary and lonely are close in meaning, solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course, but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

glorying in the calm of her solitary life
left solitary by the death of his wife

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lonely Though common misconceptions dictate children with no siblings are lonely, spoiled or socially awkward, a review of more than 100 related studies shows that’s not the case. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025 And while the journey is often lonely and the work is incredibly hard, women are pushing us forward, one step at a time. Catherine McKenna, Time, 25 Sep. 2025 Like a lonely English major, the book stands entirely on its own. Book Marks september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025 When this puzzle started, its comment section was often empty or lonely. Mark Cooper, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lonely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lonely
Adjective
  • The team’s lone major free-agent signing in the 2020s has backfired in spectacular fashion.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The drama follows Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) as a detective called in to investigate the 1987 massacre of four scientists brutally murdered in inexplicable ways, with a lone survivor the obvious suspect.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • About 90 minutes earlier in the game, Thornton sprinted down the center of the field on a post route, basically all by his lonesome.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2025
  • All in all, Jones should have the power to uplift this shaky defense on his lonesome.
    Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • While there is still a chance that Sanders and Colorado can turn things around, the rest of the season is looking bleak.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • From a bleak job hunt upon her arrival in 2016 to undergoing treatment for her second bout with breast cancer during the uncertainty and fear of COVID, Davis recalls her journey through raw vulnerability and splashes of humor.
    Essence, Essence, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Based on the eponymous bestselling novel, this first-ever adaptation follows Crisóstomo (Santoro), a solitary fisherman who longs for a son.
    Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Yet the Kremlin’s battle with the West has turned solitary.
    Nina Khrushcheva, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • To find the killer, Sherlock Holmes and Watson will have to brave desolate moors before a family curse dooms the newest heirs.
    Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • With its primary tenant away, the pro stadium here in central Japan was desolate outside.
    Brad Lefton, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Smithsonian Institution, which includes all the Smithsonian museums, plans to go dark after Saturday if the government shutdown continues beyond then, according to its website.
    Matt Egan, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Polselli brings a painterly gaze to scenes of quiet dread, such as a figure gradually appearing out of thick brush as two women make their way home through dark woods.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Noting the billions of dollars that Arkansas spends each year on federal programs to help the poor, including Medicaid, food stamps, child welfare and unemployment assistance, Sanders suggested the problems are often too big for a single program to fix.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2025
  • However, this is still a group that lacks even a single true top-pair defenseman.
    Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In other words, Steve is a lot to play, and the Oscar-winner throws himself into every forlorn expression, every kindly mentoring session, every manic bit of rushing to and fro as chaos reigns around him, every stumbling step toward self-medicating into oblivion.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
  • So who is right, the students, who plant themselves in the now, or the forlorn historian?
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lonely. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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