lonesome
Americanadjective
-
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
adjective
noun
Synonym Usage
See alone.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lonesome
Explanation
When you're lonesome, you feel sad about being by yourself, and you miss the company of other people. It's entirely possible to feel lonesome even when you're in a crowd. Living alone on an island might sound appealing sometimes, but it would probably be pretty lonesome in reality. Good elementary school teachers pay attention to which kids look a little lonesome during recess, especially at the beginning of the school year, and match them up with a pal. Lonesome means "lonely," although it's uncommon outside of the US.
Vocabulary lists containing lonesome
Tony Bennett (1926–2023) Tribute List
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Black Star, Bright Dawn
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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.
Later, he switches up the lyrics to “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” to croon, “Do you gaze at your forehead and wish you had hair?”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026
And of all his storied roles, Duvall says his favorite was indeed that of the soft-hearted cowboy McCrae in "Lonesome Dove."
From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026
Yet Duvall often looked happiest when riding a horse, be it in the acclaimed TV mini-series Lonesome Dove or in the Kevin Costner Western Open Range.
From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026
With his laid-back manner and his considerable equestrian skills, Mr. Ladd was known to longtime listeners as the Lonesome L.A.
From New York Times • Dec. 29, 2023
The Lonesome Highway is like one big movie-theater screen.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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.
