There is the condition of being alone and there is the condition of being lonely. The first is defined as separated from others or isolated, while lonely is more of an emotional state: being sad from being alone.

The two are not mutually exclusive—one can be both lonely and alone, but one can also be lonely when surrounded by people. And being alone is not necessarily a bad or unpleasant thing. In fact, as many discovered during the pandemic lockdown, it can be a very desirable situation—at leas...