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

The scenic lagoon on the coast of Vancouver Island, in the far west of Canada, is usually quiet, interrupted only by the sounds of animals or a lone vehicle. —Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024

After being shut out through the first eight innings, Bryan De La Cruz scored Miami’s lone run with a one-out solo home run in the ninth inning against Luis Garcia. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024

The Indiana native was the lone representative of the state in any Beard award category in 2022. —The Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2024

The Red Wolves managed only five runners, four via walks, and their lone hit came on a single by Blake Burris with two outs in the third inning off Ben Bybee. —Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 3 Apr. 2024

That was the lone hit for Henry and only the 10th run allowed by Torrey Pines all season. —Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2024

The Beavers are 4-1 since Beers’ return, the lone loss coming to Stanford in the Pac-12 tournament. —Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2024

Joshua, played by, is a lone Black ranger seeking revenge for his mother’s murder. —Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 25 Mar. 2024

Those injuries leave Kyle Muller, last year’s Opening Day starter, as the lone lefty currently on the roster. —Jon Becker, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 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 wolf
• lone star tick
• 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