1
a
: having no company : solitary
b
: preferring solitude
2
: only, sole
3
: situated by itself : isolated
loneness noun
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 He was featured in a mailer Gloria’s forces sent to Republican households in an effort to gain support for Jane Glasson, the lone Republican on the ballot. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024 New Hampshire stands as the lone state without legally binding emission reduction targets. Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar. 2024 Now in its last month of operation, Bauer’s the lone worker remaining, acting as the store’s delivery man, salesman and other tasks that arise. David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024 Canada's lone win came in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics. CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024 Running as a moderate who can balance reform with justice, ex-federal prosecutor Jeff Chemerinsky was one of the lone candidates to embrace criminal justice reform while challenging Gascón. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Class of 2024 early enrollee Aiden Glover, the lone active scholarship QB behind Cook, is on campus and practicing with the Tigers. Calum McAndrew, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2024 Bethesda Christian won its lone title in 2007 with a win over Fort Worth Calvary. Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Feb. 2024 Sainz’s victory in Singapore was the lone non-Red Bull win on the 2023 F1 calendar, while Leclerc finished the campaign with three poles in the final five races, which included second-place finishes at the Las Vegas Grand Prix and in Abu Dhabi. Michael Loré, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, short for alone

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lone was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lone

Cite this Entry

“Lone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lone. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lone

adjective
1
: having no company : solitary
a lone traveler
2
: situated by itself
a lone outpost

More from Merriam-Webster on lone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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