1
as in lonely
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others
a lonesome kitten left at the pound by its hard-hearted owners
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lone
not being in the company of others
a lonesome cypress tree on a rocky, windswept point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the playground seems especially lonesome now that there are no young children in the neighborhood
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lonesome
The quintet collides influences — flourishes of glitchy industrial electronic flourishes, lonesome country-western instrumentation, ornate chamber pop — and tinker with all sorts of pop-rock conventions.
—
Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2025
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
The cowboy is a longstanding symbol of North America, and is romanticized as a ‘real man,’ the strong silent type, lonesome, self-reliant and emotionally distant.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lonesome
Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2025
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
The cowboy is a longstanding symbol of North America, and is romanticized as a ‘real man,’ the strong silent type, lonesome, self-reliant and emotionally distant.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lonesome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lonesome
Adjective
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As found in the survey, adults who experience daily loneliness are nearly five times more likely to rate their current life poorly compared to those who aren’t lonely.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
-
Skeletal branches created a cathedral over the lonely vehicle where the 64-year-old man had breathed his last, the winter-gray river placid in the background behind a ramble of fences.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Nunes’ lone loss during her dominant stretch came against Peña.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
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The lone exception was Heather Wilson, president of the University of Texas at El Paso and a former Republican member of the House of Representatives and Secretary of the Air Force during the first Trump administration.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
The somewhat bleak outlook was laid bare Tuesday night after the USMNT was thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland during a friendly in Nashville.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
11 June 2025
-
Instead of learning from this bleak recent history, Americans are now painfully absorbing this lesson by repeating it.—
Jonathan Haskel,
Foreign Affairs,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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Keep a distance from tall, solitary trees or other elevated structures.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2025
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The only one fully out of the running with her solitary point (like Phoenix before her) is the people’s princess, Nicole Paige Brooks.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Named for the distinctive dark stripes running across the back of its head, this medium-sized goose is specially adapted for one of the most extreme migrations in the animal kingdom.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
-
White, pale blue, gray, and green swimsuits can be some of the hardest swimsuits to spot in a pool, while darker colors, like navy and black, can be difficult to detect in open water.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
The cheeseburgers at Mama’s Snack shack are $5.50 for a single and $8.60 for a double.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
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The only way for a princess to stay royal is to stay single her entire life or marry a direct relative within her own family — an arrangement no one is particularly interested in pursuing.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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When The Last of Us premiered back in 2023, there was massive chatter surrounding Pascal and his penchant for rescuing desolate children in TV shows.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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See a camera operator following Snook to a desolate corner?—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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Tait is also largely known for his solo career, as well as his work in DC Talk alongside Kevin Max and TobyMac.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
7 June 2025
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These trailblazers are making reservations for a table for one or heading straight to the bar for a solo drink and meal.—
Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lonesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lonesome. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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