More isolated and without companionship; feeling sad because of lacking human connection or being alone.
From 'lonely' (from 'lone' + '-ly,' from Old English 'ān,' one) + '-er' (comparative suffix). Lonely originally meant 'solitary in location,' but psychological loneliness became a focus in 19th-century literature.
Loneliness is actually different from solitude—you can be alone and happy, but lonely means you want connection and don't have it. Scientists find that chronic loneliness affects health similarly to smoking or obesity because it stresses the nervous system.
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