loneliness

CEFRB1

/ˈloʊnlinəs/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
noun
The sad feeling of being alone or without company.
02
noun
Extra detail
The condition or state of being alone or having no companions.

Examples

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Deep Dive

Extra meanings

The state of being unfrequented or devoid of human activity (of a place or time).
A feeling of depression resulting from being alone or from having no companions.
A desire to be alone; disposition to solitude.

In context

The loneliness resulting from the loss of loved ones, lack of purpose in life, and social discrimination is a real inner hell.
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 a...
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 […]

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The word in print, with each source given in full.

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
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
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
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

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From lonely + -ness.