lonely

adjective

ˈlōn-lē How to pronounce lonely (audio)
Definition of lonelynext
1
as in lone
not being in the company of others a single lonely cactus in the desert

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lonesome
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others I was lonely when I first got to Los Angeles, but I soon made friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the lonely streets of a honky-tonk beach town in the off-season

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lonely distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of lonely are alone, desolate, forlorn, lonesome, lone, and solitary. While all these words mean "isolated from others," lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

When is it sensible to use alone instead of lonely?

In some situations, the words alone and lonely are roughly equivalent. However, alone stresses the objective fact of being by oneself with slighter notion of emotional involvement than most of the remaining terms.

everyone needs to be alone sometimes

When could desolate be used to replace lonely?

The synonyms desolate and lonely are sometimes interchangeable, but desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

Where would forlorn be a reasonable alternative to lonely?

The words forlorn and lonely are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

How does the word lone relate to other synonyms for lonely?

Lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

In what contexts can lonesome take the place of lonely?

The words lonesome and lonely can be used in similar contexts, but lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

When would solitary be a good substitute for lonely?

While the synonyms solitary and lonely are close in meaning, solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course, but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

glorying in the calm of her solitary life
left solitary by the death of his wife

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lonely Combine success with connection to never feel lonely again. —Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 Problems sleeping, maintaining focus, feeling lonely, anxious and depressed, and suffering from body image issues—these are the bitter fruits of being history's first digital natives. —John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025 Willa, a careless homemaker, is lonely. —Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2025 Ro, now a police officer, needs help investigating the death 22 years earlier of their classmate, Ricky, killed in a hit-and-run on a lonely county road. —Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lonely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lonely
  1. lone
  2. lonesome
  3. bleak
  4. solitary
  5. desolate
  6. dark
  7. single
  8. forlorn
Adjective
  • The one dubbed Half-Man/Half-Amazin’ answered the leaper’s calling though reputation was his lone reward.
    — Marcus Thompson II, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025
  • The Flower Mound, Texas native finished his lone football season at Utah with four touchdowns on four receptions for 54 yards in 12 games.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2025
Definition of lone
Adjective
  • Though the film eventually finds its way to Saoirse Ronan’s captivating lead performance as a recovering alcoholic, The Outrun begins underwater, observing a lonesome seal in the North Sea.
    — Jake Kring-Schreifels, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024
  • Alison Krauss will sell no high, lonesome sound before its time.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of lonesome
Adjective
  • All of these episodes have different types of endings: There’s bleak to total cliffhanger to sentimental.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Some practical frameworks and strategies enable leaders to maintain stability, foster engagement, and position their teams for success even when the economic outlook appears bleak.
    — Kara Dennison, SPHR, CPRW, EC, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • Of Kompany’s eight outfield substitutes on Tuesday, two — Lennart Karl and Jonah Kusi-Asare (both 17) have never played a Bundesliga or European minute for the club, and a third, Jonathan Asp (19) only has a solitary senior minute to his name.
    — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Well, that and transforming a deeply solitary hobby into something much more communal.
    — Leila Herrmann, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of solitary
Adjective
  • Fourteen years of war have left the country desolate, and its people exhausted; millions have been displaced or were forced to become refugees.
    — Raghed Waked & Justin Salhani, The Dial, 25 Mar. 2025
  • That quality is maintained first and foremost by a desolate whistling-wind sound effect in the background of all the scenes, along with a sustained droning musical score.
    — Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • Editor’s tip: Niacinamide is a multitasker that blurs the look of dark spots, evens your skin tone, and balances your complexion.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 15 Apr. 2025
  • And so by some sociologists, camp is thought to be this form of dark humor serving as a coping mechanism to historical marginalization.
    — Sam Reed, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • The singer-songwriter first announced the single in January 2024 with an audio excerpt posted on Instagram.
    — Abigail Lee, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The single reached No. 3 on U.S. Afrobeats Songs and No. 4 on World Digital Song Sales.
    — Heran Mamo, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of single
Adjective
  • The Mad Men echoes are tough to shake, too: There are shots in here, like Coop looking forlorn in an elevator, that might as well be episodic photos from Mad Men.
    — Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 11 Apr. 2025
  • This funny, strange and fundamentally forlorn film about the city’s gentrification provided a breakout role for Jonathan Majors as a lost artistic soul.
    — Tom Gliatto, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of forlorn

Browse Nearby Words

loneliness
lonely
loner
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Cite this Entry

“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lonely. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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