How to Pronounce Lonely

To pronounce "lonely", say LON-ely — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈləʊnli/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

lonely

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Accent

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Speed

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2

Syllables

6

Letters

/ˈləʊnli/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “lonely”

"lonely" has 2 syllables: lon-ely. It rhymes with only and pronely, if that helps it stick.

What does lonely mean?

adjective

  1. Unhappy because of feeling isolated from contact with other people.
  2. (of a place or time) Unfrequented by people; desolate.

Synonyms

lonesomedesertdesolateemptyunpeopledunpopulatedalonesolitary

Hear “lonely” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with lonely

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

onlypronelyonelyconely

Related words

lonesomelonealonesolitaryunsocialinaccessibleunaccompaniedunaccessible

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "lonely"?▾

"Lonely" has 2 syllables: lon · ely.

What is the IPA transcription of "lonely"?▾

The IPA transcription of "lonely" is /ˈləʊnli/.

What does "lonely" mean?▾

Lonely: Unhappy because of feeling isolated from contact with other people.

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