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

Relevance

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 Research backs up that lonely seniors are more likely to have severe health issues. —South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2025 Against that, Colossal’s three dire wolves spending their entire lives in a 2,000-acre preserve could be awfully lonely and claustrophobic—not at all the way wild dire wolves would live their lives. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025 This keeps us lonely at a time when the loneliness public health crisis is at an all-time high. —Priya Vulchi, Time, 9 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
  • Coogler wrote Remmick as an empathetic and charismatic villain — so much so that IndieWire critic David Ehrlich’s lone knock on the film is that, by design, the darkness of the vampires is more about the fun of being alive than the usual horror movie terror.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Eichel’s lone hat trick of the season came on March 25 at Xcel Energy Center in a 5-1 win over the Wild.
    — Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 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
  • The observations from Drewry’s and Moody’s, as well as the scenario floated by McCown, follow a bleak outlook for the middle of May out of the biggest port in the U.S.
    — Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Apr. 2025
  • These economic concerns echo findings from a Federal Reserve survey last week that said Americans’ view of the economy is bleak — and getting worse.
    — Shannon Carroll, Quartz, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • Girls may prefer solitary activities or playing alone.
    — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The work often involves periods of solitary focus on restoration or assembly, providing a peaceful work atmosphere that contrasts sharply with high-pressure corporate environments.
    — Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of solitary
Adjective
  • The Memphis rapper began the show with dramatics, rising on a giant platform with her back to the audience as a screen behind her projected the image of a desolate street.
    — John Lonsdale, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2025
  • The food and atmosphere had people from across the city willing to venture to a desolate stretch of Bushwick.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • Infused with glutathione, vitamin C, and niacinamide, they’re formulated to brighten hyperpigmentation and dark spots, all while improving uneven skin tone and reviving dull skin.
    — Denise Primbet, Glamour, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Shows this dark need moments of beauty, and this episode provided those in spades.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Each plane has four single suites and four side-by-side suites, two of each at the front of each business class cabin.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • In this Oscar-winning documentary, filmmaker Craig Foster free-dives daily in a South African kelp forest to follow a single cephalopod over a year.
    — Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 22 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lonely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lonely. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on lonely

Nglish: Translation of lonely for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Words You Always Have to Look Up

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Popular

See More

Words You Always Have to Look Up

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All