Lonely and alone are two words of English literature used by people for different purposes. The confusion between lonely and alone is due to their pronunciation and spelling.
Both alone and lonely are different in various aspects. Lonely stands for the situation where the person has no companion to spend time with. When a person is alone, the person is not with anyone.
The feeling of being alone is not very intense or painful for anyone. On the other hand, loneliness brings intense feelings in humans.
Key Takeaways
- Lonely describes a feeling of sadness or isolation resulting from a lack of companionship or social interaction.
- Alone refers to being physically separate from others or without company.
- A person can feel lonely even when surrounded by others, while alone does not always equate to loneliness.
Lonely vs Alone
Alone simply means being by oneself, without the presence of others. It does not necessarily imply any particular emotional state, and can be a neutral or even positive experience for some people. Lonely refers to a subjective feeling of sadness or isolation that can occur when one feels disconnected from others, even when they are not physically alone.
Lonely means the person has no other person to talk to or enjoy. Lonely requires a linking verb or noun for being used in a sentence. Lonely is the feeling of the person where the person sees no companions.
It’s not the person’s choice, but the choice of people, to not give company to the person. Anxiety attacks are common during the phase of loneliness, which can lead to many other psychological problems.
Alone represents the temporary state of the person. Alone is never used in front of a noun according to English grammar. When a person is alone, the person doesn’t have any companion at that particular time.
The person can be alone at home or outside the home without stressful reasons. People would not show any side effects such as mental disorders or mental illnesses after being alone for some time.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Lonely | Alone |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Lonely stands for the situation when the person has no one in the life. | Being alone is the personal decision of the person, which is not a permanent situation. |
| Usage | Lonely is used with a noun or a linking verb. | Alone is not used in front of a noun. |
| Noun | A Noun is present with the word lonely. | A Noun is not present in front of the word alone. |
| Emotions | Depressions, and confusions | Neutral emotions |
| Choice of person | The person doesn’t choose to be lonely. | The person chooses to be alone for some specific reason. |
What is Lonely?
When you enter the phase of loneliness, you stop feeling energetic or exciting about anything. Loneliness would turn someone into a dull character with fear and anxiety.
Loneliness is the phase of humans where they have no person to speak or talk to. The state of being lonely may come for many reasons. Being lonely is not the choice of the person.
The word lonely has a deep meaning. The state of being lonely can be both permanent and temporary. You can’t fight loneliness if you keep on demotivating yourself. Therefore, it’s vital to understand why you are feeling lonely to get out of it.
Reducing the effects of loneliness from a person’s life is time taking. Getting upset and irritated is normal when you are suffering from loneliness.
Therefore, it’s important for the person to not give up and keep loving themselves even if they have no person in their lives to accompany them.
What is Alone?
The state of being alone happens due to the choice of the person. The word alone doesn’t describe the situation but speaks about the condition of a person.
When a person is alone, it doesn’t mean the person would stay like this for the entire life. You can be alone by your own choice for a temporary period.
The word alone is not linked with the sad feelings of any person. It means the person is not having a company of people for some time.
The person can stay alone for various purposes, such as work-life requirements or personal preference. If someone is alone at home, then it won’t mean the person can’t talk to anybody through social media or overcall.
When someone is alone at a place, it means the person is around no one else. A state of being alone doesn’t say that you have to isolate yourself in an area without a single contact with anyone.
The state of alone means there is no person physically present around you.
Main Differences Between Lonely and Alone
- The word Lonely describes the situation of a person, whereas alone stands for the condition of a person.
- Loneliness can have both temporary and permanent effects on the life of a person. On the other hand, the word alone shows no permanent effects on the life of a person.
- Loneliness comes with many repercussions, which people would observe for a long period. On the other hand, the state of being alone has nothing to do with the mental health of a person.
- Loneliness restricts all the person from interacting with others due to various reasons. Being alone doesn’t restrict the person from socializing or interacting with people.
- The word Lonely has a deep meaning and explains the overall situation of the person. On the other hand, the word alone has no deep meaning but states the condition of the person.
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13548500500266607
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0962184999800080
Last Updated : 21 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
