lonely

B1 Topic:Emotions & Feelings

US /ˈloʊnli/ UK /ˈləʊnli/ See IPA manual

Freq #1695

Meanings

1

adj
Unhappy because you are alone or have no friends near you.

She felt lonely after all her friends moved away.
2

adj
Without other people; on your own.

He spent a lonely evening reading by himself.
3

adj
Far from where people live; quiet and empty.

The cabin stood at a lonely crossroads in the hills.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · unhappy because you are... lonesome

2 adj · without other people; on... alone solitary unaccompanied

3 adj · far from where people live;... desolate empty unfrequented

Word family

Forms lonelierloneliest

Derived forms lonelihood lonelilylonely-heartlonely-heartedlonely-heartslonelyheartednonlonelyunlonely

Related forms lone loneliness

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

lonely existence
a way of life marked by isolation and a lack of companionship

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (2)

See all

Etymology

From lone + -ly, or from an apheretic shortening of alonely. See lone.

Topics

Emotions & Feelings

External links

# lonely

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈloʊnli/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈləʊnli/
**Frequency rank:** 1695

## Meanings
1. Unhappy because you are alone or have no friends near you.
2. Without other people; on your own.
3. Far from where people live; quiet and empty.

## Examples
- She felt lonely after all her friends moved away.
- He spent a lonely evening reading by himself.
- The cabin stood at a lonely crossroads in the hills.

## Synonyms
- lonesome

## Derived Forms
- lonelihood
- lonelily
- lonely-heart
- lonely-hearted
- lonely-hearts
- lonelyhearted
- nonlonely
- unlonely

## Related Forms
- lone
- loneliness

## Etymology
From lone + -ly, or from an apheretic shortening of alonely. See lone.

## AI Etymology
Lonely comes from lone + -ly, or from an apheretic shortening of alonely. See lone. In present-day English its meanings include unhappy because you are alone or have no friends near you, without other people; on your own, and far from where people live; quiet and empty. Related and derived forms include lone, loneliness, lonelihood, and lonelily.

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings

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