Lonely: meaning, definitions and examples

When someone feels sad because they have no friends or company.

• He felt lonely after moving to a new city
• She often feels lonely on her birthday

When someone or something is separated from others, either physically or emotionally, often carrying a negative feeling.

• The small village is isolated from the rest of the country
• He felt isolated in his new job

When someone is physically by themselves, without any other people around.

• She was alone in the house
• He decided to live alone after his children moved out

When someone chooses or is in a state of being alone, without focusing heavily on the emotional aspect.

• He enjoys his solitary walks in the morning
• The prisoner was put in solitary confinement

When a place is empty and looks abandoned, often evoking a sense of sadness or isolation. It has a negative connotation.

• The once-busy town was now desolate
• After the storm, the beach looked desolate

This word is often used to describe a person who feels sad because they are alone, or a place that feels sad and abandoned.

• She felt lonely after moving to the new city
• The house on the hill looked lonely and abandoned

Refers to places that are isolated and not easily seen or visited by many people, often with a sense of privacy.

• They found a secluded spot on the beach for their picnic
• The house was in a secluded area, away from the main road

Used to describe places that are far away from populated areas or difficult to get to.

• They live in a remote village in the mountains
• The team went on an expedition to a remote island

More formal or literary term, often used to describe someone or something that is alone, emphasizing the single nature of being alone.

• He leads a solitary life in the countryside
• The solitary tree stood in the middle of the field

Typically used to describe places that are empty of people, often giving a sense of abandonment or neglect.

• The old factory was completely deserted
• They walked through the deserted streets late at night