lonely
Americanadjective
-
lonelier,
comparative
-
loneliest
superlative
-
affected with, characterized by, or causing a depressing feeling of being alone; lonesome.
-
destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship, intercourse, support, etc..
a lonely exile.
-
lone; solitary; without company; companionless.
-
remote from places of human habitation; desolate; unfrequented; bleak.
a lonely road.
- Synonyms:
- unpopulated, uninhabited
-
standing apart; isolated.
a lonely tower.
- Synonyms:
- secluded
adjective
-
unhappy as a result of being without the companionship of others
a lonely man
-
causing or resulting from the state of being alone
a lonely existence
-
isolated, unfrequented, or desolate
-
without companions; solitary
Synonym Usage
See alone.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of lonely
Explanation
There are a few definitions of lonely but they all share the same qualities: solitude, the absence of human company, and not a lot of exciting stuff going on. If being alone makes you sad, that’s one definition of lonely: the depressing feeling you get when no one else is around. Being alone doesn’t have to be a bummer, and sometimes lonely simply means preferring to be by yourself, like the lonely poet who takes long walks in the woods. Mars is a lonely planet because no life can survive there, and on a cross country trip you’ll drive down many long and lonely roads.
Vocabulary lists containing lonely
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That leaves the rail project standing as a symbol of South Korea's lonely push for peace.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
This one is focused on how lonely many of us are despite being constantly connected with everyone in our lives through our phones, and proposes a way to change it.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
“I was never lonely, but I missed her every day,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Cat said that while many teenagers shun spending time with their parents, she knows first-hand how lonely it is to not have your parents around.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
It struck me that she was probably a little lonely herself.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Naomi, 30, from Pembrokeshire, has spent more than a decade navigating non-monogamous relationships and said having a very good calendar is key and, ironically, the reality is far lonelier than people might expect.
From BBC ● May 5, 2026
That stance is getting lonelier as hard- drive stocks continue their ascent.
From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026
For all the strides society has made during the course of his career toward acceptance and inclusivity, he also sees that patients are lonelier than they used to be.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2026
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy calls this the most isolated generation, with young American men significantly lonelier than peers in other countries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
I try to hold on to the peaceful feeling of the dream, but it quickly slips away, leaving me sadder and lonelier than ever.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
“I mean, sometimes the loneliest place for someone like that is in a crowded room.”
From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2026
Mr. Herzog began work in 2020, during the loneliest months of the Covid-19 pandemic, toiling in isolation and making highly personal sketches.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2025
One may be the loneliest number, but No. 2 is what sent Shaquille O’Neal urgently mincing off the “Inside the NBA” stage last month while the cameras kept running.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2025
She described lockdown as "probably the loneliest time of my life".
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2025
Being in the same room but talking to each other like we were on opposite sides of the ocean turned the best thing into the loneliest thing.
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
