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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 And these chatbots are more likely to be used by those who are already lonely — in other words, easier prey. Angela Chen, Vox, 26 Mar. 2025 Did Christina express any sentiment about being lonely? Karen Fratti, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025 About half of adults in the U.S. report feeling lonely – what former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has characterized as an epidemic. Megan Gerhardt, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2025 Retirement has been described by many who struggle as being incredibly lonely. Lorraine Wiseman, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lonely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lonely
Adjective
  • In his lone year with Mizzou, Pyne appeared in five games, most notably relieving three-year starter Brady Cook in contests versus Auburn, Alabama and Oklahoma as Cook dealt with hand and ankle injuries.
    Amelia Hurley, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2025
  • His lone incompletion was an excellent decision, throwing the ball away after scrambling to create more time for his receivers to get open.
    Jon Machota, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Alison Krauss will sell no high, lonesome sound before its time.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The cowboy is a longstanding symbol of North America, and is romanticized as a ‘real man,’ the strong silent type, lonesome, self-reliant and emotionally distant.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The coming-of-age story finds a new generation of young women in Gilead, grappling with the bleak future that awaits them.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Stocks had sold off sharply last Friday, amid growing uncertainty on U.S. trade policy and a bleak inflation outlook.
    Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Paving the way for the franchise, the first story begins with a solitary ogre living in a swamp, whose life is disrupted when a horde of misfit fairy-tale creatures are exiled to his land by the villainous Lord Farquaad (played by John Lithgow).
    Jane LaCroix, People.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Keep a distance from tall, solitary trees or other elevated structures.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Fourteen years of war have left the country desolate, and its people exhausted; millions have been displaced or were forced to become refugees.
    Raghed Waked & Justin Salhani, The Dial, 25 Mar. 2025
  • That quality is maintained first and foremost by a desolate whistling-wind sound effect in the background of all the scenes, along with a sustained droning musical score.
    Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • TikTok will not be going dark Saturday for the more than 135 million users of the social media app, thanks to Donald Trump.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025
  • While the app only went dark for a matter of a day or so in the U.S., it was removed from the Apple and Google app stores for weeks, because federal law could have seen Apple or Google penalized for distributing it.
    David Phelan, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Families can make use of all three rooms with space for privacy and quiet time at the end of the day, while couples or single residents will enjoy utilizing the bonus living areas.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Secured to the back panel via three sliding screws and a single (knurled) fixing screw, each of the drive bays is individually removable.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • JoJo’s playful, relatable lyrics take the track’s forlorn lyrics and transforms them into a humorous, biting sendoff to a scummy ex.
    Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lonely. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.

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