one

adjective

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\ ˈwən

Definition of one

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : being a single unit or thing one day at a time She is one year old.

2a : being one in particular early one morning The Grand Canyon is one place I'd like to visit.

b : being preeminently what is indicated one fine person She is one tough teacher.

3a : being the same in kind or quality both of one species "Puma" and "cougar" are different names for one animal.

b(1) : constituting a unified entity of two or more components The combined elements form one substance.

(2) : being in agreement or union am one with you on this

4a : some sense 1 will see you again one day

b : being a certain individual specified by name one John Doe made a speech

5 : only sense 2a the one person she wanted to marry

one

noun

Definition of one (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : the first whole number above zero — see Table of Numbers

2 : the number denoting unity

3a : the first in a set or series —often used with an attributive noun day one

b : an article of clothing of a size designated one wears a one

4 : a single person or thing has the one but needs the other

5 : a one-dollar bill

at one

: at harmony : in a state of agreement

for one

: as one example I for one disagree

one

pronoun

Definition of one (Entry 3 of 4)

1 : a certain indefinitely indicated person or thing saw one of his friends

2a : an individual of a vaguely indicated group : anyone at all one never knows

b —used as a third person substitute for a first person pronoun I'd like to read more but one doesn't have the time.

3 : a single instance of a specified action felt like belting him one— John Casey

-one

noun suffix

Definition of -one (Entry 4 of 4)

: ketone or related or analogous compound or class of compounds lactone quinone

Synonyms Using One as a Pronoun: Usage Guide More Example Sentences Learn More About one

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Synonyms for one

Synonyms: Adjective

Synonyms: Noun

bone
[slang],
buck,
clam,
dollar,
smacker
[slang]

Using One as a Pronoun: Usage Guide

Pronoun

Sense 2a is usually a sign of a formal style. A formal style excludes the participation of the reader or hearer; thus one is used where a less formal style might address the reader directly. for the consequences of such choices, one has only oneself to thank — Walker Gibson This generic one has never been common in informal use in either British or American English, and people who start sentences with one often shift to another pronoun more natural to casual discourse. when one is learning the river, he is not allowed to do or think about anything else — Mark Twain Use of one to replace a first-person pronoun—sense 2b—has occasionally been criticized. It is more common in British English than in American. I'm watching this pretty carefully and I hope that the issue will come up in the Lords and one may be able to speak about it — Donald Coggan

Examples of one in a Sentence

Adjective There is one minute left in the game. I have a few one-dollar bills in my purse. She is one year old. Noun one, two, three, four, … I don't have any ones. Can you break a five? I'll be there at one. Pronoun “I'll have an iced tea, please.” “I'll have one, too.” Their dog died, but they plan to get another one. “You should wear the blue one.” “The one with the stripes?” “No, the other one.” I'd like to see the ring next to that one. Which one did you like better? He is the one who called the police. That's one possible answer—but not the only one. I would like to read more, but one doesn't have the time.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Drinkwater didn't make one appearance in a Chelsea shirt last season, whilst Bakayoko spent the season in Italy on loan at AC Milan. — SI.com, 3 Aug. 2019 Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive. — Johannes Himmelreich, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Mar. 2018 Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive. — Johannes Himmelreich, Smithsonian, 27 Mar. 2018 Drinkwater didn't make one appearance in a Chelsea shirt last season, whilst Bakayoko spent the season in Italy on loan at AC Milan. — SI.com, 3 Aug. 2019 Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive. — Johannes Himmelreich, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Mar. 2018 Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive. — Johannes Himmelreich, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Mar. 2018 Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive. — Johannes Himmelreich, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Mar. 2018 Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive. — Johannes Himmelreich, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Mar. 2018 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Unlike earlier proposals, however, this one appears to have the critical backing of more than 40 states and includes a sweetener of $2 billion in plaintiff attorneys’ fees. — BostonGlobe.com, 20 July 2021 Re-writing our tax code that currently benefits the white and wealthy into one that is designed for shared prosperity is another critical step. — Time, 20 July 2021 The deal echoes one that the companies have been pushing, sometimes in public, for two years. — Geoff Mulvihill, Anchorage Daily News, 20 July 2021 The boxes have specific themes, such as space -- one that was created in partnership with NASA. — Linda Gandee, cleveland, 19 July 2021 What city compares to this one, on the Fan Misery Index? — Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer, 19 July 2021 Another invasive species is showing up on recreational lakes, one that could become more insidious than zebra mussels or curly pondweed. — Ron Way, Star Tribune, 19 July 2021 As with other important automobiles, this one has been followed by Gooding & Company for a considerable amount of time, the team even assisting the current owner with its acquisition 17 years ago. — Robert Ross, Robb Report, 19 July 2021 This reality requires one to look the other way and stifle any burgeoning curiosity about the policies — such as opportunity zones — that use incentives to make the most needy in society better off. — Kevin A. Hassett, National Review, 19 July 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'one.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.