lonesome

American  

[lohn-suhm] / ˈloʊn səm /

adjective

1. depressed or sad because of the lack of friends, companionship, etc.; lonely.

   to feel lonesome.

2. attended with or causing such a state or feeling.

   a lonesome evening at home.

3. lonely or deserted in situation; remote, desolate, or isolated.

   a lonesome road.

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idioms

1. on / by one's lonesome, alone: Also by one's lane.

   She went walking by her lonesome.

lonesome British  

/ ˈləʊnsəm /

adjective

1. another word for lonely

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noun

1. informal on one's own

Related Words

See alone.

Other Word Forms

• lonesomely adverb
• lonesomeness noun

Etymology

Origin of lonesome

First recorded in 1640–50; lone + -some ¹

Example Sentences

A big grinning Ozark moon crawled up out of nowhere and seemed to say, “Hi, neighbor! I’ve been looking for you. It gets kind of lonesome out here. Welcome to the land of the Cherokee!”

From Literature

Only this time, he was all by his lonesome.

From Los Angeles Times

You know the lonesome call of the whip-poor-will, I am sure.

From Literature

One such scene in the premiere smash cuts between a lonesome Chris sulking by himself at home.

From Salon

"It reminds you of Hank Williams singing that song, 'I'm so lonesome I could cry.'"

From BBC

Related Words

• deserted
• desolate
• homesick
• isolated
• lonely