lonesome

1 of 2

adjective

lone·some ˈlōn(t)-səm

Synonyms of lonesome next

: sad or dejected as a result of lack of companionship or separation from others

don't be lonesome while we are gone

: causing a feeling of loneliness

the empty house seemed so lonesome

: remote, unfrequented

look down, look down that lonesome road—

Gene Austin

: lone

lonesomely adverb

lonesomeness noun

lonesome

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noun

: self

sat all by his lonesome

Choose the Right Synonym for lonesome

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

Example Sentences

Adjective He was lonesome for his family. The empty house seemed so lonesome.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As the closing music swells, Wayne’s character looks around at his kin — people who have other people to lean on — and then walks off toward the dusty West Texas horizon, lonesome and alone. —

Ted Anthony, Anchorage Daily News, 16 May 2023 Despite the mounds of evidence that appear to be stacked against the lonesome Danny, Seyfried's Rya has faith in him. —

Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 10 May 2023 Even if Democrats won’t get on board, the GOP can begin the process by having the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office, one or more committees, or even a lonesome congressional or senate office compile versions of report cards. —

Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 3 May 2023 More than our lonesome predicament bounded Joyce and me together. —

Hazlitt, 3 May 2023 Deviled Eggs at Terlingua Restaurant and Market This Portland, Maine, restaurant, located down a lonesome side street, has the unprepossessing air of a saloon — calling to mind its namesake Texas ghost town. —

BostonGlobe.com, 28 Apr. 2023 But none of that mattered when Raphael started coaxing high, lonesome notes from his harmonica. —

Dallas News, 23 June 2022 The north side is a different place—steep, glaciated, lonesome. —

Christopher Solomon, Outside Online, 22 Mar. 2018 But Connor did not come by his particular brand of patronizing cluelessness all by his lonesome. —

Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2023

Noun

Antarctica, though, would stay by its lonesome in the south. —

Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2012 At 11 seconds, the defense left Rudy Gobert all by his lonesome for an easy alley-oop from Mitchell to give the Jazz the lead. —

Dallas News, 23 Apr. 2022 The rise in temperatures observed in recent decades can't be definitively pinned on humans because nature — all by her lonesome — has produced temperatures during the past 11,000 years that were just as warm. —

Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2013 Networks and streaming platforms created precious moments that were felt between family and friends as well as those who love to digest sentimental stories by their lonesome. —

Malik Peay, Essence, 23 Dec. 2022 The Sun is flying into your relationship sector for the next thirty days, making this the perfect time to pick a partner and start tackling matters as a team rather than by your lonesome self. —

Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 22 Sep. 2022 Reading about Mika’s slow healing from the wounds of her lonesome is a healing experience for the reader, too. —

Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 17 Sep. 2022 In another shot, Anja poses by her lonesome, and one final photo shows her blowing out a candle on a plate of birthday treats. —

Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 25 Aug. 2022 Then, a lonesome Harry hops underneath his covers and down a rabbit hole, à la Alice in Wonderland, and lands in a maze-like blanket fort. —

André-naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 13 July 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lonesome.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.