lonely

adjective

lone·​ly ˈlōn-lē 

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 stations

—Robert 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 champion

—G. B. Shaw

loneliness

ˈlōn-lē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• alone
• lone
• lonesome
• single
• solitary
• solo
• unaccompanied

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

Workers are lonely and socializing less at work—but spending just 10 minutes a day talking with a colleague can help employees feel connected. —Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024

The head of the FBI's financial crimes sections, James Barnacle, said the reach of the scams has widened as overseas criminals have gained direct access to their targets: lonely Americans seeking a connection through social media and dating apps. —Jim Axelrod, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2024

Courtesy of Lürssen From the battered trawler Orca in Jaws to the dinghy where Fredo spent his lonely final moments in The Godfather Part II, boats have been integral to myriad Hollywood blockbusters as props, locations, or narrative devices. —Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 2024

The lonely image of Future serving rocks in an open-carry state reminds us of the hell that America puts young Black people through. —Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2024

In two stories, male humanoid robots, designed to replace low-wage nursing-home workers, have their technology hijacked by a Russian company that uses them to target lonely women on dating apps. —Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024

Scheffler had a lonely walk toward the scoring area with his wife. —Doug Ferguson, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024

Middle-aged Americans are lonelier than their European counterparts. —Frank J. Infurna, The Conversation, 5 Apr. 2024

The phrase is seen as a dig at the possibility these lonely residents are actually waiting for Russian troops to arrive. —Emile Ducke Thomas Gibbons-Neff, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lonely

• it's lonely at the top
• lonely hearts
• plough a lone/lonely furrow

Kids Definition

lonely

adjective

lone·​ly ˈlōn-lē 

lonelier; loneliest

1

: lone sense 1

2

: not visited by human beings : desolate

a lonely spot

3

: lonesome sense 1

feeling lonely

loneliness noun