noun · neutral
loneliness
UK/ˈləʊnlinəs/US/ˈloʊnlinəs/LON·e·li·ness
the state of feeling alone and unhappy because of a lack of friends or company
Examples
“Many international students experience loneliness during their first semester abroad.”
“Social clubs can help to reduce loneliness among older people.”
“Even in a crowd he sometimes felt a deep loneliness.”
Band 8 sentence
“Although modern technology connects people instantly, it can paradoxically deepen loneliness for those lacking meaningful relationships.”
Collocations
- feel loneliness
- combat/alleviate loneliness
- chronic loneliness
Word family
Common mistakes
I feel loneliness when I go home.→I feel lonely when I go home.
He suffers a loneliness after moving abroad.→He suffers from loneliness after moving abroad.
Say it for a higher band
5alone→6isolation→7+loneliness
Synonyms
isolation
solitude
Easily confused
solitude
“Writers sometimes prefer solitude to concentrate on their work.”
Related words
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In -ness
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