Definition of solitary
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: being, living, or going alone or without companions
b
: saddened by isolation
2
: unfrequented, desolate
a solitary seashore
3a
: taken, passed, or performed without companions
a solitary ramble
b
: keeping a prisoner apart from others
solitary confinement
4
: being at once single and isolated
a solitary example
5a
: occurring singly and not as part of a group or cluster
flowers terminal and solitary
b
: not gregarious, colonial, social, or compound
solitary bees
solitary
noun
plural solitaries
Definition of solitary (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: one who lives or seeks to live a solitary life : recluse
2
: solitary confinement in prison
put him in solitary
Test Your Vocabulary
Name That Food
-
- Name these cookies!

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share solitary
Time Traveler for solitary
The first known use of solitary was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century