lonesome

1 of 2

adjective

lone·​some ˈlōn(t)-səm How to pronounce lonesome (audio)
1
a
: sad or dejected as a result of lack of companionship or separation from others
don't be lonesome while we are gone
b
: causing a feeling of loneliness
the empty house seemed so lonesome
2
a
: remote, unfrequented
look down, look down that lonesome roadGene Austin
b
: lone
lonesomely adverb
lonesomeness noun

lonesome

2 of 2

noun

: self
sat all by his lonesome
Choose the Right Synonym for lonesome

alone, solitary, lonely, lonesome, lone, forlorn, desolate mean isolated from others.

alone stresses the objective fact of being by oneself with slighter notion of emotional involvement than most of the remaining terms.

everyone needs to be alone sometimes

solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course

glorying in the calm of her solitary life

but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

left solitary by the death of his wife

lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

Examples of lonesome in a Sentence

Adjective He was lonesome for his family. The empty house seemed so lonesome.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The Past is Still Alive is the most song-forward record in Segarra’s body of work, a mix of folky ballads, surging anthems, and mellow-country rockers; there’s even a waltz-time duet with Conor Oberst and, elsewhere, lonesome pedal steel via Oberst’s Bright Eyes bandmate Mike Mogis. Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024 Shortly after Her begins, the painfully lonesome and powerfully mustachioed writer Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) buys one of these new operating systems. Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 18 Dec. 2023 The lonesome detective—with a stern constitution, hair-trigger nonsense detector, and endearing alcohol dependency—is a reliably compelling protagonist, capable of crossing legal lines and meting out justice. Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2024 The season première finds her as a lonesome divorcée entertaining her boys aboard a yacht owned by the Egyptian businessman Mohamed al-Fayed (Salim Daw). Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2023 Jacobs’ music drew from R&B and club music, which gave a wide palette for his sleek, lonesome vocals. August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023 The video segment ended with Love belting out the lonesome holiday anthem with just Shaffer and some background singers, with Letterman and longtime cohort Barbara Gaines looking on. Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Dec. 2023 That little-film-that-could put Haigh on the map and secured a spot in the gay cinematic canon for its starkly visceral portrayal of the initially awkward and ultimately amorous connection between two lonesome Englishmen. Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 21 Dec. 2023 Don’t be mistaken, however: Shakira can still kill it on her lonesome. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 8 Dec. 2023
Noun
Antarctica, though, would stay by its lonesome in the south. Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2012 At 11 seconds, the defense left Rudy Gobert all by his lonesome for an easy alley-oop from Mitchell to give the Jazz the lead. Dallas News, 23 Apr. 2022 The rise in temperatures observed in recent decades can't be definitively pinned on humans because nature — all by her lonesome — has produced temperatures during the past 11,000 years that were just as warm. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2013 Networks and streaming platforms created precious moments that were felt between family and friends as well as those who love to digest sentimental stories by their lonesome. Malik Peay, Essence, 23 Dec. 2022 The Sun is flying into your relationship sector for the next thirty days, making this the perfect time to pick a partner and start tackling matters as a team rather than by your lonesome self. Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 22 Sep. 2022 Reading about Mika’s slow healing from the wounds of her lonesome is a healing experience for the reader, too. Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 17 Sep. 2022 In another shot, Anja poses by her lonesome, and one final photo shows her blowing out a candle on a plate of birthday treats. Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 25 Aug. 2022 Then, a lonesome Harry hops underneath his covers and down a rabbit hole, à la Alice in Wonderland, and lands in a maze-like blanket fort. André-Naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 13 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lonesome.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lonesome was in 1647

Dictionary Entries Near lonesome

Cite this Entry

“Lonesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lonesome. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lonesome

adjective
lone·​some
ˈlōn(t)-səm
1
: sad from lack of companionship or separation from others
2
: not often visited or traveled over
a lonesome highway
the lonesome frontier
lonesomeness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lonesome

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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