lonely
- 01 B1 Intermediate
unhappy because you are alone or do not have anyone to talk to.
experiencing a sense of sadness or depression resulting from a perceived lack of companionship or social connection.
Simple“He felt lonely during his first week in the new city because he didn't know anyone.”
In context“Moving to a foreign country where she spoke little of the language left her feeling profoundly lonely, despite being surrounded by crowds of people every day.”
PitfallI feel very alone today. I feel very lonely today.'Alone' simply means no one else is there; 'lonely' describes the sad feeling caused by being alone.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
being the only person or thing in a place.
characterised by being solitary or lacking companions; often used to describe a single person or object in a large space.
Simple“A lonely figure stood on the beach watching the ships go by.”
In context“The hiker was a lonely silhouette against the vast mountain range, appearing tiny and vulnerable in the face of such immense nature.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a place that is far away from where people live and is rarely visited.
describing a location that is remote, unfrequented, or desolate.
Simple“They drove down a lonely country road for miles without seeing another car.”
In context“The lighthouse stood on a lonely stretch of coastline, battered by the Atlantic winds and miles from the nearest village.”
lonely vs alone — Alone is the physical state of being by yourself; lonely is the emotional pain of feeling disconnected.
From lone + -ly, or from an apheretic shortening of alonely. See lone.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.