B1adjective2K

Lonely

UK /["/ˈləʊnli/"]/US /["/ˈləʊnli/"]/

Definition

unhappy because you have no friends or people to talk to

In simple words: Feeling sad because you are alone and don't have friends.

Examples

  • After moving to a new city, I felt very lonely without my friends.
  • The lonely lighthouse stood on the rocky shore, isolated from everything.
  • She often felt lonely even in a crowded room full of people.
  • Reading a book in a cozy corner can sometimes feel like a lonely pleasure.
  • He wrote a song about being lonely and longing for companionship.

Usage notes

Use 'lonely' to describe feelings of isolation. It can be used in both personal and poetic contexts, but might not be appropriate in a light-hearted conversation.

Grammar pattern

standalone adjective

Memory hint

Think of 'lone' in 'lonely'—imagine a single person sitting alone on a park bench.

Collocations

  • be
  • feel
  • look
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • be
  • feel
  • look
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • be
  • feel
  • look
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very

Synonyms

  • isolated

Antonyms

  • happy
  • companioned
  • sociable

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'alone' (they have different emotional connotations).
  • Using 'lonely' to describe physical isolation without expressing feelings.
  • Incorrectly spelling it as 'lonly'.