lonelier; loneliest
1
2
: not frequented by human beings : desolate
a lonely spot in the woods
3
: sad from being alone : lonesome
He was feeling lonely without his wife and children.
4
: producing a feeling of bleakness or desolation
It's a lonely thing to be a champion.—
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard ShawExamples of lonely in a Sentence
He was lonely without his wife and children.
She was a lonely child with few friends.
It was lonely living out in the country.
She spent too many lonely nights at home.
She had a lonely childhood.
a lonely spot in the woods
a lonely stretch of road
Recent Examples on the Web
Being vocally left-leaning thus provides social status benefits and forms of self-congratulation that being conservative doesn't (if anything, in terms of the broader culture and the opinion-formulating institutions, conservatism tends to be rather lonely and something of a social liability).
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
Studies show the online dating space is less welcoming for Black women willing to try it — experiences include misogynoir, racial fetishes and microaggressions, in addition to biased dating app algorithms that leave many feeling invisible, less desirable and lonely.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
Glowicki stars as a lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
This is a story about someone who’s lonely on Earth, makes a friend in space, and stays there.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lonely
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Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
Studies show the online dating space is less welcoming for Black women willing to try it — experiences include misogynoir, racial fetishes and microaggressions, in addition to biased dating app algorithms that leave many feeling invisible, less desirable and lonely.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
Glowicki stars as a lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
This is a story about someone who’s lonely on Earth, makes a friend in space, and stays there.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lonely
Cite this Entry
“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lonely. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lonely
adjective
lone·ly
ˈlōn-lē 
lonelier; loneliest
loneliness
noun
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
