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

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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

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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

Explanation

There are a few definitions of lonely but they all share the same qualities: solitude, the absence of human company, and not a lot of exciting stuff going on. If being alone makes you sad, that’s one definition of lonely: the depressing feeling you get when no one else is around. Being alone doesn’t have to be a bummer, and sometimes lonely simply means preferring to be by yourself, like the lonely poet who takes long walks in the woods. Mars is a lonely planet because no life can survive there, and on a cross country trip you’ll drive down many long and lonely roads.

Example Sentences

“Those last scenes with me looking like a lonely old lady walking hunched over in the garden? Boy, I told him to get rid of those,” she said, referring to the documentary’s director, R.J.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

Perhaps it is not surprising, then, that, to a lonely young man, a pinball machine might seem to have its own “temperament and moods,” but then technology is often perceived as emotional.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

However, over the years, their memory declined at about the same rate as those who did not feel lonely.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

And you’ll be seeing a lonely, raw corner of California that few people ever find.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

“I’m just so lonely with Poppy gone,” I told her dramatically.

From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm

Related Words

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