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 lone street light in the neighborhood takes power from his solar inverter. —Eyder Peralta, NPR, 18 Apr. 2024

The lone winner of Wednesday night’s Fantasy 5 drawing has a ticket worth $127,229.58 and bought their ticket at a Miami gas station, according to the Florida Lottery. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024

Midlothian’s lone district loss was to Joshua, 7-2, last Tuesday. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2024

State Senate Minority Leader Gerald Neal, the Louisville Democrat who’s been in office since 1989, has plenty in common with Attica Scott, the lone challenger for his seat in the May 21 primary election. —The Courier-Journal, 17 Apr. 2024

Erskine's death leaves the 88-year-old Koufax as the lone surviving Dodgers player from the 1955 World Series team. —CBS News, 16 Apr. 2024

Mass casualty events are rare in Australia and gun ownership was strictly controlled following the 1996 Port Arthur mass shooting when a lone gunman killed 35 people. —Helen Regan, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024

As the lone African-American player on the A’s roster, wearing Jackie Robinson’s number means something to the 23-year-old right fielder. —Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024

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

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 star tick
• lone wolf
• 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