lonely
gb/lˈoʊnli/ us/lˈoʊnli/
A2
English
~ 7600
magányos, elhagyatott, félreeső, egyedüli, egyetlen
A2
1
magányos
A2
Usage pattern:
to feel lonely [in/at/without something]
He felt incredibly lonely after moving to a new city where he didn’t know anyone.
Hihetetlenül magányosnak érezte magát, miután egy új városba költözött, ahol senkit sem ismert.
She is married but often feels lonely because her husband works late every night.
Házas, de gyakran magányosnak érzi magát, mert a férje minden este sokáig dolgozik.
The holidays can be a very lonely time for people who live far from their families.
After her friends moved away, the weekends became long and lonely.
Even in a crowded room, he sometimes feels lonely and misunderstood.
Learner examples
I feel lonely when I eat dinner by myself.
Magányosnak érzem magam, amikor egyedül vacsorázom.
She was lonely in the big new school.
Magányos volt a nagy új iskolában.
He is lonely because his friends are all busy.
My grandmother gets lonely when no one visits her.
After the party ended, the house felt very lonely to me.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "lonely" and "alone". "Alone" means simply that no other people are with you, which can be positive, neutral, or negative. "Lonely" always includes a sad feeling about being alone or not feeling connected. For example, "I live alone, but I am not lonely" is correct; saying "I live lonely" is incorrect because "lonely" is an adjective describing a person or feeling, not a normal way to describe the action of living.
Meaning
feeling sad because alone
Collocations
feel lonely
|lonely and depressed
|lonely childhood
|get lonely
|terribly lonely
|lonely person
Synonyms
isolated (Stresses being cut off from others; can be physical or emotional, and is slightly more formal.)
|
lonesome (Very close in meaning; more common in American English and can sound a bit more emotional or country-style.)
Antonyms
connected (Emphasizes having strong relationships and social bonds, the opposite of feeling lonely.)
|
included (Focuses on being part of a group, the opposite of feeling left out and lonely.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|mental_health
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Feeling sad because you are alone or do not feel close to other people.
Feeling sad and empty because you have little or no company, close contact, or emotional connection with others.
B1
2
elhagyatott
B2
félreeső
B2
Usage pattern:
a lonely [place/road/beach/house]
They drove along a lonely country road with no houses in sight.
Egy elhagyatott vidéki úton autóztak, ahol egyetlen ház sem volt a láthatáron.
The cabin sits on a lonely hillside, miles from the nearest town.
A kunyhó egy félreeső domboldalon áll, kilométerekre a legközelebbi várostól.
We spent the night on a lonely beach, listening to the waves in the dark.
The bus stop is in a rather lonely area, so she doesn’t like waiting there at night.
From the top of the hill, we could see a lonely farmhouse in the middle of the fields.
Learner examples
We walked down a lonely road in the forest.
Egy elhagyatott erdei úton sétáltunk.
He lives in a lonely house far from the city.
Egy félreeső házban él, messze a várostól.
There is a lonely tree in the middle of the field.
They found a lonely beach with no other people.
The hotel is in a lonely place, so it is very quiet.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "lonely" can describe any quiet place. In English, a "lonely place" is usually both quiet and far from people, and often carries a slightly sad or uncomfortable feeling. For a simple positive idea of quiet, "peaceful" or "quiet" is often better.
Meaning
describing a quiet, isolated place
Collocations
lonely road
|lonely beach
|lonely village
|lonely house
|lonely stretch of highway
|lonely island
Synonyms
remote (Highlights distance and difficulty of access; does not always suggest sadness, while "lonely" often does.)
|
desolate (Stronger and more dramatic, suggesting emptiness and sometimes ruin or harsh conditions.)
Antonyms
bustling (Describes a place full of people and activity, the opposite atmosphere of a lonely place.)
|
lively (Emphasizes energy and many people enjoying themselves, unlike a quiet, lonely area.)
Themes
places
|travel
|nature
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Far from people and houses, so the place feels very quiet and empty.
Describing a place that is far from other people, buildings, or activity, and therefore feels empty or isolated.
B2
3
Usage pattern:
a lonely [figure/voice/goal/example]
She stood as a lonely figure at the bus stop in the rain.
Magányos alakként állt az esőben a buszmegállóban.
A lonely voice in the meeting argued for change while everyone else stayed silent.
A megbeszélésen egyedül ő érvelt a változás mellett, miközben mindenki más hallgatott.
He scored a lonely goal in the second half, and the team still lost 4–1.
The report offered a lonely example of success in an otherwise failing system.
For years, he was a lonely champion of the project before others joined him.
Learner examples
A lonely tree stood in the wide field.
Egy magányos fa állt a hatalmas mezőn.
She was a lonely voice against the new rule.
Ő volt az egyetlen, aki ellenezte az új szabályt.
He scored a lonely goal for his team.
The girl walked as a lonely figure on the empty street.
There was one lonely chair in the big room.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this "only one" meaning with the emotional meaning and translate it in a way that focuses only on sadness. In sentences like "a lonely goal" or "a lonely figure", the main idea is that it is alone or single in that situation; any feeling of sadness is secondary or just suggested by context.
Meaning
being the only one present
Collocations
lonely figure
|lonely voice
|lonely goal
|lonely example
|lonely champion
|lonely fight
Synonyms
solitary (More formal; strongly emphasizes being the only one and can sound slightly literary.)
Antonyms
one of many (Describes something that has others like it around, the opposite of being the only one.)
|
supported (Focuses on having others with you or on your side, the opposite of standing alone.)
Themes
description
|work
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Being the only person or thing like this in that place or situation.
Being the only person or thing of its type present in a place, group, or situation, often suggesting that it stands apart or has no support.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lonely
IPA
GB/lˈoʊnli/
US/lˈoʊnli/
Syllables & stress
lonely (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lonely)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: lonely
- Comparative: lonelier
- Superlative: loneliest
Word family
Forms
lonelier
adjective
loneliest
adjective
Core family
loneliness
noun B1
Advanced or less common
lonesome
adjective B1
Expressions
feel lonely
1/fˈil lˈoʊnli/
fixed phrase
to experience loneliness
To have the sad feeling that you are alone or not close to other people.
Examples
- You might feel lonely at first when you move to a new country.
- He often feels lonely on Sunday evenings when the house is quiet.
- Call me if you feel lonely and want to talk.
lonely at the top
1/lˈoʊnli ˈæt ðə tˈɑp/
idiom
isolated in a top position
Used to say that people in very high positions, like leaders or famous people, can feel alone because they do not have many true friends or equals.
Examples
- She has a great salary and a big office, but she says it's lonely at the top.
- Being the boss can be lonely at the top when you have no one to share your worries with.
- He quickly learned that it can be lonely at the top of the company.
lonely hearts
1/lˈoʊnli hˈɑɹts/
fixed phrase
single people seeking romance
Single people who feel lonely and are looking for a boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner, often used about ads or clubs.
Examples
- He placed an ad in the lonely hearts section of the newspaper.
- The event was organized for lonely hearts who wanted to meet someone special.
- Online services for lonely hearts have become very popular.