loneliness en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈloʊnlinəs/ (US)
Etymology
From lonely + -ness.
Meanings
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(uncountable, usually) A feeling of depression resulting from being alone or from having no companions.
Loneliness got a mind of its own The more people around, the more you feel alone
1997, Bob Dylan, “Marchin’ to the City”, in The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006:But if the point of living lies in relationships with other people, then it’s hard to think of A.I. assistants that imitate humans without nervousness. I don’t think they’re going to solve the loneliness epidemic at all.
2024 May 20, Alissa Wilkinson, “What We Lose When ChatGPT Sounds Like Scarlett Johansson”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 16 Jun 2024:We […] feel deep pity for a man who is condemned to the loneliness of being remarkable […]
1948, Alan Paton, chapter 21, in Cry, the Beloved Country, New York: Scribner, page 154:Cecilia proposed to her the society of Henrietta, which, glad to catch at any thing that would break into her loneliness, she listened to with pleasure […]
1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, London: T. Payne, et al, Volume 5, Book 10, Chapter 5, p. 274:The loneliness resulting from the loss of loved ones, lack of purpose in life, and social discrimination is a real inner hell.
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(uncountable, usually) The condition or state of being alone or having no companions.
1657, Richard Ligon, A True & Exact History of the Island of Barbados, London: Humphrey Moseley, Dedicatory letter to the Bishop of Salisbury, [I] was designing a piece of Landscape […] wherein I meant to expresse […] the beauties of the Vegetables, that do adorn that place, in the highest perfection I could: But presently after, being cast into Prison, I was deprived both of light and lonelinesse, two main helpers in that Art […]
Hitherto all things that have bin nam’d, were approv’d of God to be very good: lonelines is the first thing which Gods eye nam’d not good […]
1645, John Milton, Tetrachordon, page 7:Wretched as were the little companions in misery he was leaving behind, they were the only friends he had ever known; and a sense of his loneliness in the great wide world sank into the child’s heart for the first time.
1837 February, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “Treats of Oliver Twist’s Growth, Education, and Board”, in Oliver Twist; […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], published 1838, →OCLC, page 20:
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(uncountable, usually) The state of being unfrequented or devoid of human activity (of a place or time).
1794, Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho, London: G.G. & J. Robinson, Volume 4, Chapter 3, p. 50, […] as she sat at her bed-side, indulging melancholy reveries, which the loneliness of the hour assisted […]
In addition, the very loneliness of the road had its charm for him; since only at rare intervals is house seen by its side, and rarer still living creature encountered upon it.
1877, Mayne Reid, chapter 4, in Gwen Wynn: A Romance of the Wye, volume 3, London: Tinsley Bros, page 34:The rest was all flat marsh. It would have been a depressing place on a wet evening. Seen under a morning sun, with a fresh wind blowing, and the air filled with the crying of birds, there was something fine and fresh and clean about its loneliness.
1953, C. S. Lewis, chapter 5, in The Silver Chair, New York: Scholastic, published 1987, pages 57–58:
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(obsolete, uncountable, usually) A desire to be alone; disposition to solitude.
[…] I see The mystery of your loneliness, and find Your salt tears’ head: now to all sense ’tis gross You love my son […]
c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| lanelines | Scotland, alternative | lexicographic | |
| lonelinesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
sociableness · fellowship · isolophilia · companionship
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Relateds
Synonyms
loneness · solitariness · lonesomeness · aloneness · onliness · solitude · isolation · lonelihood · onlyhood · forlornness · aloneness · lonesomeness · loneliness · monopathy · unfrequentedness · onehead · friendlessness · oneship · seclusion · ellingness · loneliness · ellingness
Translations (108)
hrx Eensamkeet (condition of being lonely) · bg само́тност (condition of being lonely) · ka მარტოობა (condition of being lonely) · tk ýalňyzlyk (condition of being lonely) · sh самоћа (condition of being lonely) · ur اکیلاپن (condition of being lonely) · pl samotność (condition of being lonely) · it solitudine (condition of being lonely) · el μοναξιά (condition of being lonely) · sq vetmi (condition of being lonely) · sh usamljenost (condition of being lonely) · ckb تەنھایی (condition of being lonely) · lv vientulība (condition of being lonely) · sk osamelosť (condition of being lonely) · kk жалқылық (condition of being lonely) · my အထီးကျန်ခြင်း (condition of being lonely) · id kesendirian (condition of being lonely) · hu magányosság (condition of being lonely) · ms kesendirian (condition of being lonely) · ru одино́чество (condition of being lonely) · nn einsemd (condition of being lonely) · fo einsemi (condition of being lonely) · sh samost (condition of being lonely) · ko 고독 (condition of being lonely) · alt јаҥыскан болоры (condition of being lonely) · sh samoća (condition of being lonely) · uk самі́тність (condition of being lonely) · ar عُزْلَة (condition of being lonely) · sh osamljenost (condition of being lonely) · la sōlitūdō (condition of being lonely) · ml ഏകാന്തത (condition of being lonely) · am ብቸኛነት (condition of being lonely) · es soledad (condition of being lonely) · uk само́тність (condition of being lonely) · uz yolgʻizlik (condition of being lonely) · ja 寂しさ (condition of being lonely) · ur تنہائی (condition of being lonely) · kk жалғыздық (condition of being lonely) · mr एकटेपणा (condition of being lonely) · fi yksinäisyys (condition of being lonely) · de Einsamkeit (condition of being lonely) · sh samota (condition of being lonely) · fa تنهایی (condition of being lonely) · hi अकेलापन (condition of being lonely) · sl osamljenost (condition of being lonely) · sv ensamhet (condition of being lonely) · he בְּדִידוּת (condition of being lonely) · nb ensomhet (condition of being lonely) · kea solidon (condition of being lonely) · tg танҳоӣ (condition of being lonely) · tl kalaiwan (condition of being lonely) · yi איינזאַמקייט (condition of being lonely) · bg самота́ (condition of being lonely) · ar وَحْدَة (condition of being lonely) · eo soleco (condition of being lonely) · uk самота́ (condition of being lonely) · mk осаменост (condition of being lonely) · sl samóta (condition of being lonely) · tl laiw (condition of being lonely) · uk самотина́ (condition of being lonely) · uk самоти́на (condition of being lonely) · be само́та (condition of being lonely) · kmr tenêtî (condition of being lonely) · hrx Eensamkeit (condition of being lonely) · sh самoст (condition of being lonely) · mn ганцаардал (condition of being lonely) · ar اِنْفِرَاد (condition of being lonely) · nl eenzaamheid (condition of being lonely) · km ឯកា (condition of being lonely) · cmn 孤獨 /孤独 (condition of being lonely) · ota یالڭزلك (condition of being lonely) · et üksildus (condition of being lonely) · ja 孤独 (condition of being lonely) · id kesepian (condition of being lonely) · th ความเหงา (condition of being lonely) · tr yalnızlık (condition of being lonely) · be адзіно́та (condition of being lonely) · da ensomhed (condition of being lonely) · hu magány (condition of being lonely) · sw upweke (condition of being lonely) · fi hiljaisuus (state of being devoid of human activity) · km និជ្ជជនភាព (state of being devoid of human activity) · az yalnızlıq (condition of being lonely) · sa रहस् (condition of being lonely) · cmn 寂寞 (condition of being lonely) · sh усамљеност (condition of being lonely) · cmn 孤丁 (condition of being lonely) · az tənhalıq (condition of being lonely) · sh самота (condition of being lonely) · lt vienišùmas (condition of being lonely) · is einsemd (condition of being lonely) · ro singurătate (condition of being lonely) · ga uaigneas (condition of being lonely) · gl soidade (condition of being lonely) · gd aonaranachd (condition of being lonely) · ko 외로움 (condition of being lonely) · hi तनहाई (condition of being lonely) · is einmanaleiki (condition of being lonely) · la sōlitās (condition of being lonely) · ky жалгыздык (condition of being lonely) · be само́тнасць (condition of being lonely) · sh осамљеност (condition of being lonely) · cs osamělost (condition of being lonely) · pt solidão (condition of being lonely) · fr solitude (condition of being lonely) · vi sự cô đơn (condition of being lonely) · alt јаҥыскан јӱрери (condition of being lonely) · hy միայնություն (condition of being lonely)