lonesome

[lohn-suh m]

See more synonyms for lonesome on Thesaurus.com

adjective

depressed or sad because of the lack of friends, companionship, etc.; lonely: to feel lonesome.
attended with or causing such a state or feeling: a lonesome evening at home.
lonely or deserted in situation; remote, desolate, or isolated: a lonesome road.

Idioms

on/by one's lonesome, Informal. alone: She went walking by her lonesome.Also Scot., by one's lane.

Origin of lonesome

First recorded in 1640–50; lone + -some¹

Related formslone·some·ly, adverblone·some·ness, noun

Synonym study

1. See alone.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for lonesome

Contemporary Examples

A quarter century later, Duvall has reteamed with Lonesome Dove screenwriter William D. Witliff for A Night in Old Mexico.
Robert Duvall on His Storied Career, His New Movie, and Why He’s Ditching the GOP
Marlow Stern
March 13, 2014
Many view the Duvall-starring miniseries, Lonesome Dove, as one of the greatest westerns ever.
Robert Duvall on His Storied Career, His New Movie, and Why He’s Ditching the GOP
Marlow Stern
March 13, 2014
It's a blog in search of lonesome, twangy music that sounds old even if it isn't.
The Best Music Blogs
Howard Wolfson
January 26, 2014
Many of your books, from Lonesome Dove to Horseman, Pass By, have been adapted for the screen.
Larry McMurtry: How I Write
Noah Charney
April 24, 2013
It only affected what I chose to write afterwards in terms of the other three books in the Lonesome Dove tetralogy.
Larry McMurtry: How I Write
Noah Charney
April 24, 2013

Historical Examples

"Oh, it makes me so lonesome when you sing that way," wailed the Little Colonel.
The Little Colonel
Annie Fellows Johnston
But it must be a long, lonesome road, and the rain was coming on.
In the Valley
Harold Frederic
Poor, honest Fido, how lonesome he was and how he moped about!
A Little Book of Profitable Tales
Eugene Field
If you're careful you're safe here for the day, although you may be lonesome.
The Rock of Chickamauga
Joseph A. Altsheler
"It's lonesome enough for any sort of a hermit," said Fenn, as he paused and looked about him.
Frank Roscoe's Secret
Allen Chapman

British Dictionary definitions for lonesome

lonesome

adjective

mainly US and Canadian another word for lonely

noun

on one's lonesome or US by one's lonesome informal on one's own

Derived Formslonesomely, adverblonesomeness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for lonesome

adj.

1640s, from lone + -some (1). Related: Lonesomeness.

lonesome

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}lonesome

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for lonesome

Contemporary Examples

A quarter century later, Duvall has reteamed with Lonesome Dove screenwriter William D. Witliff for A Night in Old Mexico.

Many view the Duvall-starring miniseries, Lonesome Dove, as one of the greatest westerns ever.

It's a blog in search of lonesome, twangy music that sounds old even if it isn't.

Many of your books, from Lonesome Dove to Horseman, Pass By, have been adapted for the screen.

It only affected what I chose to write afterwards in terms of the other three books in the Lonesome Dove tetralogy.

Historical Examples

"Oh, it makes me so lonesome when you sing that way," wailed the Little Colonel.

But it must be a long, lonesome road, and the rain was coming on.

Poor, honest Fido, how lonesome he was and how he moped about!

If you're careful you're safe here for the day, although you may be lonesome.

"It's lonesome enough for any sort of a hermit," said Fenn, as he paused and looked about him.

lonesome

Word Origin and History for lonesome

adj.

Origin of lonesome