# lonely

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈləʊnli/ · frequency rank #4,688

## Definitions
1. Unhappy due to feeling isolated from contact with other people.
2. Unfrequented by people; desolate.
3. Without companions; solitary.

## Etymology
From lone + -ly, or from an apheretic shortening of alonely. See lone.

## Easily confused with
- **lowly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-lowly)
- **loner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-loner)
- **lovey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-lovey)
- **lovely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-lovely)
- **loudly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-loudly)
- **Lowell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-lowell)
- **looney** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-looney)
- **Lovell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-lovell)
- **lowery** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-lowery)
- **loosely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lonely-vs-loosely)
- **lone** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lone-vs-lonely)
- **lolly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lolly-vs-lonely)
- **Laney** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laney-vs-lonely)
- **likely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/likely-vs-lonely)
- **lately** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lately-vs-lonely)
- **lively** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lively-vs-lonely)
- **Lionel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lionel-vs-lonely)

## Common misspellings (9)
`llonely`, `lnoely`, `loenly`, `lonelly`, `lonelyy`, `loneyl`, `lonley`, `lonnely`, `olnely`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/lonely