free solo

verb

variants or free-solo

ˈfrē-ˈsō-(ˌ)lō 

free soloed or free-soloed; free soloing or free-soloing; free soloes or free-soloes

transitive + intransitive

rock climbing

: to perform a free solo climb of a rock face, climbing route, etc. : to climb without the use of artificial aids or safety equipment

On June 3, 2017, Alex Honnold free soloed the Freerider route of El Capitan in three hours and 56 minutes.

—Bret Stephens

When a climber "free solos" a route, any mistake will result in falling to your death.

—C. Moon Reed

"When I free-solo, I personally only do climbs I've climbed before," [Austen] McNulty said.

—Tim Drugan-Eppich

free soloing noun

or free-soloing

In the sport of free soloing, which means climbing with only a powdery chalk bag and rock shoes—no rope, no gear, nothing to keep you stuck to the stone but your own belief and ability—doubt is dangerous.

—Mark Jenkins

Examples of free solo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Wolfgang Güllich, the great German climber who first free soloed the quintessential Yosemite roof climb Separate Reality in 1986, is pictured shirtless in red-and-white striped leggings, ripped as all hell, his shaggy mullet and mustache upgrading the photo to unforgettable. —Jesse Klein, Outside, 27 Dec. 2025

The special will see free solo climber Alex Honnold attempt to scale Taipei 101. —Peter White, Deadline, 18 Dec. 2025

The 2018 documentary captured Alex Honnold's free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in California. —Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for free solo

• nolo