How to Use single file in a Sentence

single file

noun
  • When it was raised, the boats would come out single file in a parade.
    Sam Whiting, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Apr. 2021
  • The goal is to slow the cars down and prevent them from running single file.
    Zach Horrall, Indianapolis Star, 27 June 2018
  • The managers entered, single file, and walked to their places.
    Lindsay Wise, WSJ, 15 Jan. 2020
  • The bus pulled up to the Freedom House and we were told to walk into the building in two single file lines.
    Hannah Drown, cleveland.com, 10 Jan. 2018
  • About 25 of them were then led in single file through the gate into the U.S. and onto a white school bus that drove away.
    Fabiola Sánchez and Morgan Lee, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Mar. 2023
  • And the fuzz lined up in single file for what stretched for what seemed like forever.
    Riley Van Steward, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2023
  • Hays learned the rules — his group would have to stay on the right and go single file – and drilled them into his club members.
    oregonlive, 11 Oct. 2019
  • Riding a bicycle to school: Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, and in single file.
    courant.com, 17 Sep. 2020
  • Lined up single file, they were told to place one hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them, and remain silent.
    James E. Causey, jsonline.com, 25 Apr. 2022
  • Having come to an agreement, the entire group left the street in a single file line with their hands up.
    Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 6 June 2020
  • As soon as the pair's scores were read, their cheering section left in single file.
    Dave Skretta, chicagotribune.com, 14 Feb. 2018
  • The group marched to the White House in single file while Paul stayed behind to manage the protest from headquarters.
    National Geographic, 13 Aug. 2020
  • Tubas still march around the stadium single file in the second half.
    Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2019
  • All guests must enter through the main admission gates at the front of the zoo and expect to line up single file.
    Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 4 June 2020
  • The patrol walked south on Mott Street in single file, with Madonna in the lead, setting a pace that fell just short of brisk.
    Bruce Handy, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2021
  • Rory led us in a single file line up the steep hill of Highland Avenue.
    The Enquirer, 22 Aug. 2022
  • The cars were all required to use Firestone weather tires, and the start was changed to a single file starting lap.
    Cheryl Wray, AL.com, 23 Apr. 2018
  • The sound of stun grenades echoed through downtown as officers marched in a single file line at least 12 across.
    Josh Peter, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2020
  • Groups of ice anglers should walk single file when going out, and spread out when digging holes in the ice.
    cleveland.com, 29 Dec. 2017
  • These blood vessels are so narrow that red blood cells have to flow through them single file.
    Breanna Draxler, Discover Magazine, 23 Apr. 2013
  • Soumah opened the cell door and told the three hundred migrants to follow him out of the prison, single file, without talking.
    Ian Urbina, The New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2021
  • About 25 of them were then led in single file through the gate into the U.S. and onto a white school-bus style vehicle that drove away.
    Fabiola Sánchez and Morgan Lee, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2023
  • Although Muncie Northside had won, the women protesters in the stands marched out of the gym in single file after the match.
    The Indianapolis Star, 28 Sep. 2022
  • Behind him, in single file, walked Louise, and then Lily, and then Eleanor; they could’ve been connected by rope.
    David Gilbert, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2022
  • They also are placed in a single file at the district office, per the contract, filed by school year not by the teacher's name.
    Bethany Barnes, OregonLive.com, 11 May 2018
  • For much of the first stage, drivers lapped the track in single file, testing the limits of their cars before the tighter racing that was sure to come later in the race.
    Mike Hembree, USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2018
  • The extremists marched in single file, clad in the Proud Boys’ black and yellow, cameras outstretched.
    Kyle Casey Chu, Vogue, 1 July 2022
  • The migrants walk in single file, spaced a foot apart, patiently waiting for their turn.
    Tori Richards, Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2021
  • On your computer, a Lifestream looks like a single file of playing cards receding into the depth of the screen.
    David Gelernter, WSJ, 11 May 2022
  • All four dropped to their knees and started crawling, moving single file, each man holding on to the one in front, the lead man carrying the rope.
    Sean Flynn, Esquire, 9 Mar. 2017

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'single file.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: