loneliness
/ˈləʊnlinəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈləʊnlinəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlōnlēnə̇s -lin-/ (ame, mw)
loneliness — noun
1. the sad feeling of being without friends, family, or anyone to talk to, often la
the sad feeling of being without friends, family, or anyone to talk to, often lasting a long time
After moving to a new city, Beatrix felt a deep loneliness that lasted for months.
adjective + loneliness: deep loneliness
The old fisherman's loneliness lifted when he began teaching children at the harbour.
loneliness as subject + verb: loneliness lifted
Loneliness can affect anyone, even people surrounded by others at a party.
Christopher tried to hide his loneliness behind a cheerful smile during the holiday dinner.
Studies show that long-term loneliness may harm both mental and physical health.
- isolation
focuses on being physically separate from others; can be neutral or negative, while loneliness is always emotional
- solitude
positively valued time spent alone by choice, unlike the unhappiness of loneliness
- desolation
more intense, suggesting devastation and utter emptiness; closer to grief than simple sadness
- companionship
the presence of someone to share time with, the opposite of the feeling of being alone
- belonging
the feeling of being accepted and included by a group, opposite of the exclusion loneliness brings
文法句型
uncountable noun
用法筆記
Unlike solitude, which can be a positive or chosen state, loneliness always carries a negative emotional meaning of sadness or longing for connection.
常見錯誤
2. the quality of a place that feels empty, quiet, and far from where people live
the quality of a place that feels empty, quiet, and far from where people live
The loneliness of the desert stretched for miles in every direction.
possessive construction: loneliness of [place]
Hikers were drawn to the peaceful loneliness of the mountain trail.
adjective + loneliness: peaceful loneliness
Naoko loved the quiet loneliness of the winter beach, with no footprints in the sand.
The lighthouse keeper's job came with the loneliness of the remote island.
Renata found a strange beauty in the loneliness of the old abandoned village.
- remoteness
focuses on physical distance from civilization; more neutral in tone
- desolation
stronger, suggesting barrenness and a sense of abandonment or emptiness
- seclusion
suggests being hidden or sheltered from view, sometimes by choice
- bustle
busy, noisy activity of a crowded place, the opposite of a remote quiet area
- congestion
being crowded or blocked with people or traffic
文法句型
uncountable noun
用法筆記
This sense applies to landscapes, buildings, or areas — not to people. It describes the atmosphere of a remote location rather than an emotional state.