lone

adjective

ˈlōn 

1

a

: having no company : solitary

b

: preferring solitude

2

: only, sole

3

: situated by itself : isolated

loneness

ˈlōn-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• alone
• one
• one-off
• only
• singular
• sole
• solitary
• special
• sui generis
• unique

Choose the Right Synonym for lone

alone, solitary, lonely, lonesome, lone, forlorn, desolate mean isolated from others.

alone stresses the objective fact of being by oneself with slighter notion of emotional involvement than most of the remaining terms.

everyone needs to be alone sometimes

solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course

glorying in the calm of her solitary life

but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

left solitary by the death of his wife

lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

Examples of lone in a Sentence

the lone ripe apple in the entire bag

just one lone cow in the middle of the field

Recent Examples on the Web

In Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Waymo One app is the lone way to summon a self-driving car. —Paulina Likos, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2024

Chloe Parrett, 19, was shot alongside six others, four fatally, when a lone gunman opened fire on partygoers at her brother's 21st birthday party in Florence. —Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 21 Sep. 2024

Bosa, who looked unbothered in Friday’s warmups, has started all but one game since returning in 2021 from knee reconstruction; his lone absence came in a 2022 loss at Atlanta in which six defensive starters did not play. —Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2024

Everyone knew entering the season that the NFC North would be tough, and the lone surprise might be the early success the Minnesota Vikings have had with quarterback Sam Darnold. —Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, short for alone

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lone

• lone ranger
• lone star tick
• lone wolf
• plough a lone/lonely furrow

Kids Definition

lone

adjective

ˈlōn 

1

: having no company : solitary

a lone traveler

2

: situated by itself

a lone outpost