lonely

adjective

SayLOHN-lee/ˈloʊnli/UK/ˈləʊnli/AUS/ˈləʉnli/

Formslonelier, loneliest

Often confused with alone

3 meanings of lonely

1
adjective
Feeling unhappy because of a sense of being cut off from contact with other people.
He grew lonely after months of living by himself in the quiet apartment.
Many elderly people feel lonely when their families live far away.
Similarlonesome, isolated, alone, friendless, forlorn
2
adjective
Existing or moving alone, without any companions or other people accompanying one.
The lighthouse keeper led a lonely existence on the rocky island.
A lonely figure crossed the empty square just after midnight.
Similarsolitary, isolated
3
adjective
Visited by few or no people; remote and desolate.
A lonely stretch of coastline ran for miles without a single house.
The path wound through lonely hills where few travelers ever came.
Similarremote, isolated, desolate, deserted, secluded
Oppositebusy, crowded, bustling

Practice

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Origin

Formed from "lone" plus the suffix "-ly," or possibly from a shortened form of "alonely."