miss lonelyhearts: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No, Miss Lonelyhearts is a fictional character, the protagonist of Nathanael West's 1933 novella. He is a male journalist who writes an advice column under that feminine pseudonym.

It is a very specific literary reference. Using it to describe a contemporary columnist implies a critical, literary, or ironic perspective, comparing them to West's deeply cynical and troubled character.

The pseudonym is chosen by the newspaper for the advice column; it is a conventional, sentimental name for such columns meant to evoke sympathy and trust, which contrasts bitterly with the columnist's own spiritual crisis and the bleakness of the letters he receives.

In the title, it is conventionally written as one word: 'Miss Lonelyhearts'. This follows the styling of the novel's title and the column name within it.

A fictional name representing a newspaper advice columnist who responds to letters from people with personal problems, often emphasizing emotional isolation and despair.

Miss lonelyhearts is usually literary/journalistic/referential in register.

Miss lonelyhearts: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmɪs ˈləʊnliˌhɑːts/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmɪs ˈloʊnliˌhɑːrts/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.