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

But for now, Bannon is a fairly lonely voice shouting against AI velocity. —Axios, 18 Jan. 2025

Some suggested ways to make the dog feel less lonely when Lauren isn't home, such as leaving the TV on. —John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025

The problem is that work never seems to slow down, and I’m left feeling lonely and unfulfilled in the relationship. —Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2025

Former Representative Barbara Lee, a Bay Area progressive known for her lonely opposition to the war in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks and for her rise within the House’s Democratic leadership, on Wednesday joined the race for mayor of Oakland, Calif. —Neil Vigdor, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025

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