Loneliness
ˈləʊnlɪnəs
Definitions
The state of feeling sad because you have no friends or company.
ˈləʊnlɪnəs
The state of being alone and feeling unhappy about it.
She felt a deep sense of loneliness after moving to a new city.
💡 Simply: It's that yucky feeling you get when you're all by yourself and wishing you had someone to hang out with, like when you're home on a Saturday and all your friends are busy.
👶 For kids: Feeling sad because you are alone and wish you had friends to play with.
More Examples
The pandemic exacerbated the feelings of loneliness for many people.
The old man found solace in his books, as he battled the loneliness of living alone.
How It's Used
"The study focused on the correlation between loneliness and mental health."
"Loneliness can be a significant issue for the elderly population."
"The protagonist's struggle with loneliness formed the central theme of the novel."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
a sea of loneliness
A feeling of deep and overwhelming isolation.
"After the breakup, he was adrift in a sea of loneliness."
to feel the pinch of loneliness
To experience the negative effects of being lonely.
"As she got older and her friends moved away, she began to feel the pinch of loneliness."
From the adjective 'lonely' + '-ness', indicating a state or quality of being lonely. 'Lonely' comes from 'lone' (meaning 'single') + '-ly'.
The term 'loneliness' has been used since the 17th century, with its prevalence increasing with urbanization and changing social structures.
Memory tip
Imagine a lone wolf, isolated from its pack. That feeling is loneliness.
Word Origin
"single, alone"