friendless

adjective

Definition of friendlessnext
as in withdrawn

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of friendless Benevolent, the latest work from playwright Sophie McIntosh (Macbitches), tells the story of four young women at Inwood’s Benevolent Home—a reformatory house for fallen and friendless girls—in 1917. — Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2026 Don’t choose this option If that road to peace is permanently closed, as Netanyahu’s coalition intends, Israel will condemn itself to perpetual warfare and to being a pariah nation in a friendless world. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026 Next up, Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker five years after fans last saw him in the role in 2021’s No Way Home, which concludes with the world forgetting his identity, leaving Peter alone and friendless. — Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026 Perhaps helped along by gendered expectations of strength and silence, the idea that men are friendless has taken hold. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 13 July 2026 There’s already basically no legal trade between Venezuela and the United States and, other than Cuba, Venezuela is essentially friendless in world politics. — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 9 Dec. 2025 That leaves it friendless, brittle, and uncreative—and, paradoxically, that leaves it vulnerable when fighting, too. — Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for friendless
  1. withdrawn
  2. unattended
  3. forlorn
  4. isolated
  5. secluded
  6. cloistered
  7. lonely
  8. solitary
Adjective
  • In an era of ball-to-feet No 10s and withdrawn strikers, Welbeck stays high up the pitch, runs the channels and occupies defenders.
    — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • The withdrawn earnings are taxed as ordinary income, the Treasury said.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 11 July 2026
Definition of withdrawn
Adjective
  • That bag had been left unattended in a printer room, the FBI said, where security personnel found it and discovered another Seeed device inside.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
  • That same day, OpenAI security found another recording device inside an unattended bag belonging to Alfozan, alongside his identification and wallet, prosecutors said.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of unattended
Adjective
  • The walls are decorated in eye-catching oil paintings of enigmatic, forlorn individuals who compose themselves in much the same manner as the café’s real clientele.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In one image, a forlorn man appears as if swallowed by a tangle of trunks and roots.
    — Erin Parish, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of forlorn
Adjective
  • Scattered to isolated rain will begin as soon as this morning as warm air begins to move in ahead of the cold front today.
    — Ron Smiley, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • NemoClaw operates in an isolated sandbox, so users can leverage its ability to write code, consult the web, and use apps without worrying a malfunction will compromise live systems.
    — Shubham Agarwal, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of isolated
Adjective
  • Seated on the quieter, south end of the beach, this is a remarkably secluded alcove made for retreat.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Oh, and living upstairs in a secluded environment is Ultron (James Spader).
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of secluded
Adjective
  • There, Trump could not resist asking if Xi had brought other global leaders to this cloistered preserve.
    — Orville Schell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The Sisters embody a unique culture of prayer, silence, solitude and community, living in a contemplative and cloistered order.
    — Kelly Wilkinson, IndyStar, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of cloistered
Adjective
  • An ever-lonelier minority of skeptics argue that AI’s rise may seem unusually fast but is in fact following a centuries-old script.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, Dodger Nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • Though there is a political risk inherent in striking out in a solitary direction, there can also be reward.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Gash’s weakest moments come in times like these, when the band strips back its sound into solitary parts that fail to gel.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of solitary

Browse Nearby Words

friending
friendless
friendlies
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Friendless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/friendless. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All