adjectives - What's the difference between "lonely" and "lonesome"


Both words seem to be used interchangeably. E.g.,




  • I'm feeling lonely tonight.

  • I'm feeling lonesome tonight.



I guess I always felt "lonesome" was somehow more severe and heart-wrenching, but is there any real basis for that interpretation?


It looks from google n-grams that like both have coexisted for some time.


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