Lonely — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈlōn-lē/ lone·ly

Meaning & Definition of Lonely

Lonely (adjective)

  1. being without company, lone
  2. cut off from others, solitary
  3. not frequented by human beings, desolate

Lonely (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not being in the company of others

    "a single lonely cactus in the desert"

    similar: alone, lone, lonesome, single, solitary, solo, unaccompanied, on one's own
    related: unattended, unchaperoned, forlorn, friendless, cloistered, disassociated, hermetic, insulated, isolate, isolated, remote, retired, secluded, withdrawn, quarantined, segregated, separated, sequestered, separate, unattached, unconnected, unlinked, detached, disconnected, disjointed, dissociated, disunited, divided, fractionated, abandoned, adrift, deserted, desolate, forgotten, forsaken, lorn, neglected
    opposite: accompanied
    near: attended, chaperoned, escorted, adjacent, adjoining, communicating, contiguous, neighboring, next-door, attached, connected, coupled, linked

  2. sad from lack of companionship or separation from others

    "I was lonely when I first got to Los Angeles, but I soon made friends"

    similar: desolate, forlorn, lonesome, lorn
    related: friendless, abandoned, deserted, forgotten, forsaken, neglected, rejected, alone, lone, solitary, solo, unaccompanied, only, sole
    near: accompanied, attended, escorted

  3. causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer

    "the lonely streets of a honky-tonk beach town in the off-season"

    similar: black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian, cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening, depressing, depressive, desolate, dire, disconsolate, dismal, drear, dreary, dreich (chiefly Scottish), elegiac, forlorn, funereal, gloomy, glum, godforsaken, gray, lonesome, lugubrious, miserable, morbid, morose, murky, plutonian, saturnine, sepulchral, solemn, somber, sullen, sunless, tenebrific, tenebrous, wretched
    related: blue, dejected, depressed, despondent, down, droopy, hangdog, inconsolable, low, melancholic, melancholy, mirthless, sad, unhappy, woebegone, woeful, dim, discomfiting, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting, distressful, distressing, upsetting, desperate, hopeless, pessimistic, lamentable, mournful, plaintive, sorrowful, colorless, drab, dull, dour, grim, lowering, lowery, menacing, negative, oppressive, threatening
    opposite: bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, comforting, cordial, festive, friendly, gay, heartwarming, sunshiny
    near: blithe, blithesome, buoyant, gay, jocund, jolly, joyful, joyous, merry, mirthful, encouraging, hopeful, optimistic, lighthearted, lightsome

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Lonely

The most common words with a similar meaning to Lonely:

Chiefly Scottish: dreich
alone, lone, lonesome, single, solitary, solo, unaccompanied, desolate, forlorn, lorn, black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian, cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening, depressing, depressive, dire, disconsolate, dismal, drear, dreary, elegiac, funereal, gloomy, glum, godforsaken, gray, lugubrious, miserable, morbid, morose, murky, plutonian, saturnine

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Lonely

Words with the opposite meaning of Lonely:

accompanied, bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, comforting, cordial, festive, friendly, gay, heartwarming, sunshiny

Related Words for Lonely

unattended, unchaperoned, friendless, cloistered, disassociated, hermetic, insulated, isolate, isolated, remote, retired, secluded, withdrawn, quarantined, segregated, separated, sequestered, separate, unattached, unconnected, unlinked, detached, disconnected, disjointed, dissociated, disunited, divided, fractionated, abandoned, adrift

Near Antonyms of Lonely

attended, chaperoned, escorted, adjacent, adjoining, communicating, contiguous, neighboring, next-door, attached, connected, coupled, linked, blithe, blithesome, buoyant, jocund, jolly, joyful, joyous, merry, mirthful, encouraging, hopeful, optimistic, lighthearted, lightsome

Word Forms of Lonely

Inflections: lonelier, loneliest

Derived words: loneliness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Lonely

First known use: circa 1598

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Lonely

Words & Phrases Containing Lonely

lonely hearts, it's lonely at the top, plough a lone/lonely furrow

Frequently Asked Questions about Lonely

What does "Lonely" mean?

"Lonely" means being without company, lone. As an adjective, it is defined as: being without company, lone. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Lonely"?

Other words for "Lonely" include alone, lone, lonesome, single, solitary, solo, unaccompanied and desolate. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Lonely" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Lonely"?

There are 130 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Lonely". Common alternatives include alone, lone, lonesome, single, solitary, solo, unaccompanied, desolate, forlorn and lorn.

What is the opposite of "Lonely"?

Antonyms of "Lonely" include accompanied, bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, comforting, cordial and festive. Near antonyms include attended, chaperoned, escorted and adjacent.

How do you use "Lonely" in a sentence?

Examples of "Lonely" in a sentence: "a single lonely cactus in the desert"; "I was lonely when I first got to Los Angeles, but I soon made friends"; "the lonely streets of a honky-tonk beach town in the off-season".

Is "Lonely" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Lonely" is an adjective.

Is "Lonely" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Lonely" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Lonely"?

"Lonely" is pronounced /ˈlōn-lē/ and divided into syllables as lone·ly.