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:
A healthier lifestyle did not significantly reduce the additional health risks linked to feeling lonely.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
“We should care about this because societies where people feel lonely and isolated — those are societal failures that are up to all of us to address.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
Some residents say the robots make them feel less lonely, while others say they use them to connect with their grandchildren.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Young adolescents who turn to chatbots for companionship feel more lonely, a new study says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
“You shouldn’t sit lonely at home all day,” I coax.
From "Invisible Inkling" by Emily Jenkins
But over the last decade it’s become even lonelier, with algorithms and vertical video platforms like TikTok siloing users into consumption over interaction.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
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
In her essay collection “The Age of Loneliness,” Laura Marris examines quiet conditions that our society doesn’t know have been lost and how we’re lonelier for those untold vanishings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 9, 2026
That stance is getting lonelier as hard- drive stocks continue their ascent.
From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026
I was hurt and for a time felt lonelier than ever.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
“I mean, sometimes the loneliest place for someone like that is in a crowded room,” Rausch observes in recognizing the sensitivity of a fellow introvert.
From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026
“L.A. is the loneliest and most brutal of American cities,” it reads, echoing a common critique of one of the world’s most misunderstood urban areas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2025
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
"I went in voluntarily and it was just the loneliest feeling in the world getting dropped off at a mental health ward with a bag and no baby," the 35-year-old said.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2025
“There was only one left, the loneliest, most pitiful guppy you ever saw. I put him in the bathtub,” Shelly said.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
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.
