# loneliness

/ˈɫoʊnɫinəs/ (US) · /lˈəʊnlinəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/loneliness
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. sadness from being alone

noun · CEFR B1

the unhappy feeling you get when you do not have friends or people to talk to.

For teachers: the subjective emotional distress resulting from a perceived lack of social connection or companionship.

- Moving to a new city can lead to a deep sense of loneliness at first.
- The study explored how chronic loneliness among the elderly can lead to significant physical health complications over time.

Usage: Uncountable in most contexts.

### 2. state of being solitary

noun · CEFR B2

the state of being alone, even if you do not feel sad about it.

For teachers: the objective condition of being solitary or without companions.

- He enjoyed the loneliness of the mountains where he could think clearly.
- The poet found inspiration in the absolute loneliness of the moors, far from the distractions of urban life.

Usage: Often used interchangeably with 'solitude', though 'solitude' usually implies a positive choice.

### 3. remoteness of a place

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

the quality of a place being far away from people and very quiet.

For teachers: the quality of being unfrequented, remote, or devoid of human activity.

- The loneliness of the old house on the cliff made it look haunted.
- The sheer loneliness of the arctic landscape was both terrifying and beautiful to the explorers.

Usage: Usually describes landscapes or buildings.

## Examples

- He felt a deep sense of loneliness after moving to the new city.
- Despite being surrounded by colleagues at the office, she struggled with a persistent feeling of loneliness throughout the day.
- Sociologists argue that modern urban design can inadvertently increase loneliness by reducing the spontaneous social interactions that once occurred in traditional communal spaces.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.