lonesome

[lohn-suhm]

adjective

1. depressed or sad because of the lack of friends, companionship, etc.; lonely.

   to feel lonesome.

2. attended with or causing such a state or feeling.

   a lonesome evening at home.

3. lonely or deserted in situation; remote, desolate, or isolated.

   a lonesome road.

lonesome

/ ˈləʊnsəm /

adjective

1. another word for lonely

noun

1. informal,  on one's own

Other Word Forms

• lonesomely adverb
• lonesomeness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lonesome¹

First recorded in 1640–50; lone + -some ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on / by one's lonesome, alone: Also by one's lane.

   She went walking by her lonesome.

Synonym Study

See alone.

Example Sentences

There’s a high and lonesome fiddle sounding the alarm, before a gloriously defiant harmony vocal: “I’m a hard headed woman . . . and I don’t owe ya sh*t.”

From Salon

Given how violently the world is spiraling, it’s natural to connect to these lonesome yearnings.

From Salon

"It reminds you of Hank Williams singing that song, 'I'm so lonesome I could cry.'"

From BBC

It took Ireland eight minutes to score at Murrayfield, the nerveless Sam Prendergast enjoying time and space and a penalty advantage to throw a long left-to-right pass to Calvin Nash, all on his lonesome.

From BBC

Driving around after dark is a lonesome experience, the eerie consequence of what many label a “voluntary” curfew.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• deserted 
• desolate 
• homesick 
• isolated 
• lonely