- 1unhappy because you have no friends or people to talk to She lives alone and often feels lonely. As I didn't speak the language I grew lonelier and lonelier.
- 2(of a situation or period of time) sad and spent alone all those lonely nights at home watching TV
- 3[only before noun] (of places) where only a few people ever come or visit synonym isolated a lonely beach Which Word?alone / lone / lonely
- Alone, and on your own/by yourself (which are less formal and are the normal phrases used in spoken English) describe a person or thing that is separate from others. They do not mean that the person is unhappy:I like being alone in the house. I’m going to London by myself next week. I want to finish this on my own (= without anyone’s help).
- Lone/solitary/single mean that there is only one person or thing there;lone and solitary may sometimes suggest that the speaker thinks the person involved is lonely:a lone jogger in the park long, solitary walks
- Lonely/lonesome mean that you are alone and sad:a lonely child Sam was very lonely when he first moved to New York. The dog let out a lonesome howl.It can also describe places or activities that make you feel lonely:a lonely house the lonesome prairie
noun [uncountable] a period of loneliness in his lifeSee lonely in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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