lonely

American  

[lohn-lee] / ˈloʊn li /

adjective

lonelier, loneliest

1. affected with, characterized by, or causing a depressing feeling of being alone; lonesome.

2. destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship, intercourse, support, etc..

   a lonely exile.

3. lone; solitary; without company; companionless.

4. remote from places of human habitation; desolate; unfrequented; bleak.

   a lonely road.

   Synonyms:

   unpopulated, uninhabited

5. standing apart; isolated.

   a lonely tower.

   Synonyms:

   secluded

---

lonely British  

/ ˈləʊnlɪ /

adjective

1. unhappy as a result of being without the companionship of others

   a lonely man

2. causing or resulting from the state of being alone

   a lonely existence

3. isolated, unfrequented, or desolate

4. without companions; solitary

---

Related Words

See alone.

Other Word Forms

• lonelihood noun
• lonelily adverb
• loneliness noun
• unlonely adjective

Etymology

Origin of lonely

First recorded in 1600–10; lone + -ly

Example Sentences

She explained: "The idea is to get people in who may feel a bit lonely, a bit isolated, as we know January is a really tough month because the weather is so awful."

From BBC

That half-bag of kale, the lonely carrot, the dried-out bread—it’s all raw material.

From Salon

Carley cut a lonely figure in the dock, dressed in a long formal coat and shirt and tie.

From BBC

These lonely objects are known as free-floating or rogue planets, and they have no identified stellar companion.

From Science Daily

But, some viewers might wonder, couldn't it be quite a lonely experience for the secret traitor, without the camaraderie of working with the other three?

From BBC

Related Words

• deserted
• desolate
• destitute
• empty
• homeless
• isolated
• lonesome
• reclusive
• solitary