Difference between "Loneliness" and "Solitude"

A nice post indeed.Congratulations and thanks for giving us a chance to respond to it. I agree with your interpretation of the two seemingly synonyms.The comparison between the two words is just like that between the Sanskrit word 'Shunya' and the English word 'Zero.'If you consult dictionary,the meaning of both the words is 'Nothing.'But as Swamy Vivekananda had explained the words,zero means nothing whereas 'Shunya' is actually 'Everything.'I have to study Vivekananda deeply to understand clearly what he really meant. You are right.Solitude is positive whereas lonliness is negatve in nature.

Good explanation of these two words! As the word "Solitude" is new for me, I checked the exact definition of this word and I find that it's not different loneliness, on this link, the definition which I find is completely different from what you've mentioned: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitude

There is a fine line between loneliness and solitude, although both are choices, we choose to be lonely and we choose to have solitude, it's whether they are chosen for the right reasons. Some say that man doesn't have the capacity to be alone, and needs stimulants and company and that no man is an island, but what if you enjoy being on that island, then it becomes solitude but it's temporary. Loneliness has a more permanent ring to it and has more of a negative stigma attached to it.

I meant an extravert once that told me if he was put in a room by himself to perform tasks, by the end of the day, he would be stuck to the ceiling, as he could not train himself to have the disipline to work alone. On the other hand being in a room with other people or perhaps even in a large city where a person feels negelected or singled out among others can be a very lonely experience. I do remember last year going to the grocery store in a very good mood and saying hello to some strangers. While outgoing people acknowledge a greeting, some do not. Two people I said hello to, completely ignored me as they had no desire to be friendly. In those times it pays to be intraverted or at least slightly intraverted perhaps?

Loneliness and solitude have the same ingredient of being alone. Loneliness acompanies sadness and solitude has contentment. I think those are the main differences.

Well noob said the difference is quite simple because Solitude life does not always mean you're lonely xD. Please don't whack me for having this interpretation :) But I guess it's somewhat true. If we see super heroes movie most of them are living a Solitude life because they does not want peoples to know their identity but that does not mean that their everyday life are far beyond peoples so they are not lonely. They still got friends surrounds them. But when you feel the loneliness of being a Supreme ruler that's because you're surrounded by many peoples but it's seem something missing. Yes because it might be because you got bored. No one is a match for you. So simply speaking we can see that the word is clear in this context.

Thanks for pointing that out. I never have thought about it real deep. And I guess, at the back of my mind I thought that those two words are just one and the same. And now, contemplating on what you have posted, yeah, I can see now the difference. Solitude is making some time alone for yourself in thinking or doing important things but not necessarily being lonely.

Being in solitude does not mean being lonely. You can be in a crowd and still feel loneliness. I for one don't feel lonely whenever I am alone. I just keep myself busy. I have survived situations where I need to be alone but it has never infringed on my physical nor emotional well being. Perhaps, I am one of those people who can easily adjust to being in solitude should circumstances demand it. On the other hand, I have also experienced loneliness even when there are lots of people around. Oftentimes, this depends upon situations but we need to make the most out of everything and not succumb to loneliness as it might leave to the more serious depression.