lonely

[lohn-lee]

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

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of lonely¹

First recorded in 1600–10; lone + -ly

Synonym Study

See alone.

Example Sentences

Meals, thankfully, were never a lonely affair—aside from one breakfast where I was the sole diner.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Look, look how empty this is," he insists, pointing to a long, lonely aisle full of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Read more on BBC

Laura, 43, found herself feeling lonely after moving home and recovering from an illness but her story travelled the world and the group now has members in France and Guyana.

Read more on BBC

Thankfully, when it came to making “Song Sung Blue,” it didn’t seem so lonely for her.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Even so, in Miss Lumley’s day, to be the governess in a grand estate was a lonely job.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• deserted 
• desolate 
• destitute 
• empty 
• homeless 
• isolated 
• lonesome 
• reclusive www.thesaurus.com
• solitary