lone wolf

noun

: a person who prefers to work, act, or live alone
lone-wolf adjective

Example Sentences

He had the reputation of being a lone wolf in high school. a lone wolf in the art world, he has his own style and paints only to please himself
Recent Examples on the Web George is in the middle of shooting his latest film Wolves, a thriller about two lone wolf fixers assigned to the same job, with his Ocean‘s co-star Brad Pitt in Los Angeles. Mario Abad, Robb Report, 17 May 2023 There could be concealed efforts or lone wolves motivated by incendiary messaging who will lash out, as was the case shortly before the Capitol was breached, when a pair of pipe bombs were found outside the nearby headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national committees. Alan Feuer, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Apr. 2023 The Jewish community nationwide faces an evolving threat environment where extremist ideologies and lone wolf actors threaten people of faith. Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2023 On other occasions, a pack may adopt a lone wolf that does not become a breeder, says Sarah Bassing, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Idaho and the Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 28 Feb. 2023 That a mainstream game can transition from an adolescent fantasy about a god-killing lone wolf into one about how that same warrior struggles against the odds (and gods) to raise a son who’s better than him is a testament to developers’ interest in richer narratives. Reid Mccarter, WIRED, 16 Dec. 2022 This is not a lone wolf kind of fight. Clayton Davis, Variety, 19 Sep. 2022 Bjorn was always a lone wolf. Erik Kain, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2021 And Metcalfe herself didn’t go stir crazy during the pandemic since she’s always been a lone wolf by nature. Tom Lanham, SPIN, 3 May 2022 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lone wolf was in 1909

Dictionary Entries Near lone wolf

Cite this Entry

“Lone wolf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lone%20wolf. Accessed 7 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

lone wolf

noun
: a person who prefers to act, live, or work alone : loner
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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