solo

1 of 4

noun

so·​lo ˈsō-(ˌ)lō 

plural solos

1

or plural soli ˈsō-(ˌ)lē 

a

: a musical composition for a single voice or instrument with or without accompaniment

b

: the featured part of a concerto or similar work

2

: a performance in which the performer has no partner or associate : something undertaken or done alone

a student pilot's first solo

3

: any of several card games in which a player elects to play without a partner against the other players

solo

2 of 4

adverb

: without a companion : alone

fly solo

solo

3 of 4

adjective

1

: accommodating one person

a solo canoe

2

: of, relating to, or being a solo

a solo performance

a solo flight

3

: hit with no runners on base

a solo home run

solo

4 of 4

verb

soloed; soloing ˈsō-(ˌ)lō-iŋ 

-lə-wiŋ

intransitive verb

: to perform by oneself: such as

a

: to perform a musical solo

b

: to fly an airplane without one's instructor on board

transitive verb

1

: to fly (an aircraft) alone

2

: to climb (something, such as a mountain) alone

Synonyms

Adjective

• alone
• lone
• lonely
• lonesome
• single
• solitary
• unaccompanied

Examples of solo in a Sentence

Noun

She is learning to fly and she flew her first solo yesterday.

Adjective

a student pilot's first solo flight

She left the band last year and started a solo career.

He just issued his first solo album.

Verb

The guitarist solos on practically every song.

She soloed for the first time yesterday.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As her first solo album Alter Ego reaches the Billboard charts, the full-length’s latest focus track fails to gain much traction. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025

In 1999, Saadiq also formed another R&B group, Lucy Pearl, and released music with its members before eventually releasing five solo albums. —Caché McClay, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025

Adverb

Glaser also made history as the first woman to host the awards show solo. —Julia Teti, WWD, 13 Mar. 2025

The Southern California band put it all to great use at the 13th Floor after midnight, punching up their left-of-center soft-rock songs with all kinds of unexpected twists — flashes of dissonance here, a harmonica solo there. —Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025

Adjective

Despite winning the Academy’s gold medal in 1925 and earning critical praise for her first solo exhibition at Gurlitt’s, Berlin, in 1930, Laserstein took on an array of jobs creating decorative art and illustrating an anatomy text. —Natasha Gural, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025

Prince burst onto the music scene with For You in 1978, one year before Jackson came into his own as a solo creative force with Off the Wall. —Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025

Verb

Gradually, the music mutates into something more alien: off-key chiming of a clock, percussive piano clanking and plucking, atonal saxophone solos that sound as if an instrument is being dropped. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025

For me, that was a multitude of outdoor sports: rock climbing, trail running, skiing, biking, and soloing the Flatirons in Boulder, Colorado. —Diana Boyer, Outside Online, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian, from solo alone, from Latin solus

First Known Use

Noun

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1712, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1886, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing solo

• free solo
• solo home run

Rhymes for solo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

solo

1 of 3 noun

so·​lo ˈsō-lō 

plural solos

1

or plural soli ˈsō-lē  : a piece of music written to be performed by one voice or one instrument

2

: an action in which there is only one performer

solo

2 of 3 adverb or adjective

: without a companion : alone

solo

3 of 3 verb

soloed; soloing

-(ˌ)lō-iŋ,

-lə-wiŋ

: to perform by oneself

especially : to fly an airplane without one's instructor

Etymology

Noun

from Italian solo "a part in music performed without accompaniment," from solo (adjective) "alone," from Latin solus "alone" — related to desolate, sole entry 4, solitude