अकेलापन (akelaapan)

noun A single-sense abstract noun meaning 'loneliness/solitude', formed from अकेला (akelaa, 'alone') plus the abstract-noun suffix -पन (pan).
Sense 1 : loneliness, the state of being alone
noun, masculine
Synonyms: तनहाई (tanahaaii, literary), एकांत (ekaant, more about peaceful solitude than sadness)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is a word you hear a lot in songs, TV dramas, and everyday conversation about city life, aging parents, or relationships -- अकेलापन (akelaapan) is the emotional loneliness of being cut off from people, very different from the calm, chosen solitude of एकांत (ekaant) that a yogi or a writer might seek out. Note the pattern: adjective अकेला (akelaa, 'alone') plus -पन (pan) turns it into an abstract noun, the same way you'd turn other adjectives into 'the state of being X.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use अकेला (akelaa, 'alone,' an adjective) where they mean the noun 'loneliness' -- अकेलापन (akelaapan) is the word for the feeling/state itself, e.g. मुझे अकेलापन महसूस होता है (mujhe akelaapan mahsoos hotaa hai, 'I feel loneliness'), not मुझे अकेला महसूस होता है for the noun sense. 2) अकेलापन (akelaapan) usually carries an emotional, often negative weight (isolation, sadness), unlike एकांत (ekaant), which can be neutral or even desirable (peaceful solitude) -- do not treat them as interchangeable.
Sample Sentences:
बुढ़ापे में अकेलापन सबसे बड़ा दुख है। Loneliness in old age is the greatest sorrow.
(budhaape men akelaapan sabse badaa dukh hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शहर में आकर उसे बहुत अकेलापन महसूस होता है। After coming to the city, he feels a lot of loneliness.
(shahar men aakar use bahut akelaapan mahsoos hotaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पति की मौत के बाद उसका अकेलापन बढ़ता ही जा रहा है। Since her husband's death, her loneliness just keeps growing.
(pati kii maut ke baad uskaa akelaapan badhtaa hii jaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैंने अपने अकेलेपन को कभी किसी से नहीं बांटा। I never shared my loneliness with anyone.
(mainne apne akelepan ko kabhii kisii se nahiin baantaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर वह हमेशा फोन पर व्यस्त न रहता, तो उसे इतना अकेलापन न सताता। If he weren't always busy on the phone, this loneliness wouldn't torment him so much.
(agar vah hameshaa phon par vyast n rahtaa, to use itnaa akelaapan n sataataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
काश उसका अकेलापन कम हो जाए। I wish his loneliness would lessen.
(kaash uskaa akelaapan kam ho jaae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
इस गाने में शायर ने अकेलेपन का दर्द बहुत खूबसूरती से बयान किया है। In this song, the poet has described the pain of loneliness very beautifully.
(is gaane men shaayar ne akelepan kaa dard bahut khoobsoortii se bayaan kiyaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आजकल के बच्चे अपने बूढ़े माता-पिता को अकेलापन दे देते हैं। These days, children leave their old parents to loneliness.
(aajkal ke bachche apne boodhe maataa-pitaa ko akelaapan de dete hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अकेलेपन से बचने के लिए लोग सोशल मीडिया पर घंटों बिताते हैं। To escape loneliness, people spend hours on social media.
(akelepan se bachne ke lie log soshal miidiyaa par ghanton bitaate hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यार, तलाक के बाद मुझे बहुत अकेलापन लगता है। Dude, after the divorce I feel a lot of loneliness.
(yaar, talaak ke baad mujhe bahut akelaapan lagtaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर ने कहा कि लंबे समय तक अकेलापन झेलने वाले मरीजों को डिप्रेशन का खतरा ज्यादा होता है। The doctor said that patients who endure loneliness for a long time have a higher risk of depression.
(doktar ne kahaa ki lambe samay tak akelaapan jhelne vaale mariijon ko dipreshan kaa khatraa jyaadaa hotaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसका अकेलापन उसकी आँखों में साफ झलकता था। His loneliness was clearly visible in his eyes.
(uskaa akelaapan uskii aankhon men saaph jhalaktaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): अकेलापन (akelaapan)
(sg.m.oblique): अकेलापन (akelaapan)
(pl.m.direct): अकेलापन (akelaapan)
(pl.m.oblique): अकेलापनों (akelaapnon)