loneliness
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the unhappy feeling you get when you do not have friends or people to talk to.
the subjective emotional distress resulting from a perceived lack of social connection or companionship.
Simple“Moving to a new city can lead to a deep sense of loneliness at first.”
In context“The study explored how chronic loneliness among the elderly can lead to significant physical health complications over time.”
UsageUncountable in most contexts.
PitfallHe felt a great lonely after his dog died. He felt great loneliness after his dog died.Use the noun 'loneliness' for the feeling; 'lonely' is the adjective describing the person.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the state of being alone, even if you do not feel sad about it.
the objective condition of being solitary or without companions.
Simple“He enjoyed the loneliness of the mountains where he could think clearly.”
In context“The poet found inspiration in the absolute loneliness of the moors, far from the distractions of urban life.”
UsageOften used interchangeably with 'solitude', though 'solitude' usually implies a positive choice.
- 03 C1 Advanced
the quality of a place being far away from people and very quiet.
the quality of being unfrequented, remote, or devoid of human activity.
Simple“The loneliness of the old house on the cliff made it look haunted.”
In context“The sheer loneliness of the arctic landscape was both terrifying and beautiful to the explorers.”
UsageUsually describes landscapes or buildings.
SynonymsremotenessseclusionAntonymsbusynesscrowdedness
From lonely + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.