singly

adverb

sin·​gly ˈsiŋ-g(ə-)lē 

1

: without the company of others : individually

2

: single-handed

Synonyms

• alone
• independently
• single-handed
• single-handedly
• solely
• unaided
• unassisted

Examples of singly in a Sentence

The birds can be seen singly or in groups.

either singly or with the cooperation of other nations, we must do something about this pressing environmental issue

Recent Examples on the Web

All four, singly or collectively, are fatal to the idea that presidential crimes — ranging from treason, bribery and insurrection to assassinations, torture and kidnaping — are shielded from prosecution. —Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2024

As the footing becomes treacherous, the horses may fall, singly or in teams, producing a state of affairs that is all balled up. —Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2024

This scruffy but finely nuanced drama follows an unusual group of characters: four Sasquatches—mythical beings better known singly, as Bigfoot—making their way through the forests of the Pacific Northwest in the course of a year. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024

White, two-inch flowers appear singly or in groups of two or three on a stout stem about the same height as the foliage clump. —Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

singly

adverb

sin·​gly ˈsiŋ-g(ə-)lē 

1

: by or with oneself : individually

2

: in a single-handed manner