plural solos
1
or plural soli
ˈsō-(ˌ)lē 
a
: a musical composition for a single voice or instrument with or without accompaniment
b
: the featured part of a concerto or similar work
2
: a performance in which the performer has no partner or associate : something undertaken or done alone
a student pilot's first solo
3
: any of several card games in which a player elects to play without a partner against the other players
1
: accommodating one person
a solo canoe
2
: of, relating to, or being a solo
a solo performance
a solo flight
3
: hit with no runners on base
a solo home run
soloed; soloing
ˈsō-(ˌ)lō-iŋ
-lə-wiŋ
: to perform by oneself: such as
a
: to perform a musical solo
b
: to fly an airplane without one's instructor on board
Synonyms
Examples of solo in a Sentence
Noun
She is learning to fly and she flew her first solo yesterday.
Adjective
a student pilot's first solo flight
She left the band last year and started a solo career.
He just issued his first solo album.
Verb
The guitarist solos on practically every song.
She soloed for the first time yesterday.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
The album was an instant hit, becoming Beyoncé’s eighth solo album to bow at No. 1 and the biggest debut of 2024 so far.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Ballerini previously opened up to PEOPLE about hosting the CMT Awards solo for the first time this year, as she’s spent the last three years co-hosting with Kane Brown.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024
This will be the first time Ballerini has solo hosted the show after co-hosting for two years with Kane Brown in 2021 and 2023 and joining remotely in 2022.
—Audrey Gibbs, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
This year, Ballerini is hosting the CMT Music Awards solo, after co-hosting the show for the past three years.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 6 Apr. 2024
Davis improvised some solos when the moment was right, to the delight of the crowd.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
How appropriate that Martha’s quirky, sassy solo, which both mocked and celebrated her own artistic fearlessness, should be inhabited by one of today’s own multifaceted and charismatic trailblazers.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 3 Apr. 2024
Glasnow has gone on at least one, and sometimes two, major trips every offseason for a decade or so, often traveling solo and staying in youth hostels during his minor league years before upgrading his accommodations as his big league income grew.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Having co-hosted the CMT Music Awards three times in the past, this year marks Ballerini's first time handling emcee duties solo.
—Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024
After the band broke up in 1975, Mr. Carmen went solo.
—Ron Depasquale, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024
Looking for a way to raise awareness for MS, Schneider ran solo from San Francisco to New York City over six months in 2010, aiming to raise $500,000 along the way.
—Journal Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2024
Princess Kate appeared solo, prompting some to wonder why her husband, 41, didn't join her.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2024
The scene began its transition from the internet to the venues of Seoul in 2022 or so, as artists began booking shows together and enlisting each other as band members to perform music that had often been recorded solo.
—James Gui, Pitchfork, 28 Mar. 2024
Garcia started working solo with Ice Spice in September, timed to her VMA best new artist win.
—Carol McColgin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Mar. 2024
The Prince of Wales, 41, attended the event solo amid his wife Kate Middleton's continued recovery from her abdominal surgery on Jan. 16.
—Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024
Susan Page, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
McRae shared a post on Instagram marking the anniversary, too, which included the same video of Taylor-Joy and photo of the couple with their friends, but also a solo shot of the actress in her wedding dress with a long white veil.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Since then, each member has pursued a solo music career.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
The 27-year-old rapper achieved all of this in just four years, culminating in the February release of his first solo studio album, ICEBERG.
—Danny Hajjar, SPIN, 9 Apr. 2024
Closing reception for solo exhibition featuring works of renowned landscape painter and Northern Kentucky University professor of painting.
—Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2024
And his work is now being featured at a solo exhibition that opened yesterday at American University here in Washington.
—CBS News, 7 Apr. 2024
Facing a left-handed pitcher for the first time this season in Zack Thompson — Hernández has fared much better against lefties than righties in his career — Hernández clobbered an elevated fastball in the second inning into the right-field bullpen for a solo blast.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
With another solo date on the horizon, this was crucial.
—Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2024
Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
One day Cissy said, 'Your baby is soloing in church for the first time this Sunday.
—Mary Shaughnessy, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2023
Classical Music San Diego Symphony music director Rafael Payare and cello star Alisa Weilerstein hit all the right notes April 19, 2020 Weilerstein will solo on Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2023
How can solo travelers ensure their own safety?
—Roger Sands, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2021
My test was comprised of trips near and far, in traffic and on winding mountain roads, solo the whole time, and always in a hurry while being safe about it.
—Josh Max, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022
Three-Eight Charlie is the story of Jerrie Mock’s record-setting flight as the first woman to solo around the world in 1964 in a single-engine Cessna 180.
—Lucia Cheng, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Aug. 2022
Richard Lin, who won the 2018 gold medal in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, will solo.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Aug. 2021
Richard Lin, who won the 2018 gold media in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, will solo.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, The Indianapolis Star, 13 July 2021
Noun
But once we were all locked down, John asked me to play on his solo album.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
The album was an instant hit, becoming Beyoncé’s eighth solo album to bow at No. 1 and the biggest debut of 2024 so far.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Ballerini previously opened up to PEOPLE about hosting the CMT Awards solo for the first time this year, as she’s spent the last three years co-hosting with Kane Brown.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024
This will be the first time Ballerini has solo hosted the show after co-hosting for two years with Kane Brown in 2021 and 2023 and joining remotely in 2022.
—Audrey Gibbs, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
This year, Ballerini is hosting the CMT Music Awards solo, after co-hosting the show for the past three years.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 6 Apr. 2024
Davis improvised some solos when the moment was right, to the delight of the crowd.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
How appropriate that Martha’s quirky, sassy solo, which both mocked and celebrated her own artistic fearlessness, should be inhabited by one of today’s own multifaceted and charismatic trailblazers.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 3 Apr. 2024
Glasnow has gone on at least one, and sometimes two, major trips every offseason for a decade or so, often traveling solo and staying in youth hostels during his minor league years before upgrading his accommodations as his big league income grew.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Adverb
Growing up in Toronto, Summers was operating snowmobiles solo by the age of 12.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Having co-hosted the CMT Music Awards three times in the past, this year marks Ballerini's first time handling emcee duties solo.
—Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024
After the band broke up in 1975, Mr. Carmen went solo.
—Ron Depasquale, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024
Looking for a way to raise awareness for MS, Schneider ran solo from San Francisco to New York City over six months in 2010, aiming to raise $500,000 along the way.
—Journal Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2024
Princess Kate appeared solo, prompting some to wonder why her husband, 41, didn't join her.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2024
The scene began its transition from the internet to the venues of Seoul in 2022 or so, as artists began booking shows together and enlisting each other as band members to perform music that had often been recorded solo.
—James Gui, Pitchfork, 28 Mar. 2024
Garcia started working solo with Ice Spice in September, timed to her VMA best new artist win.
—Carol McColgin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Mar. 2024
The Prince of Wales, 41, attended the event solo amid his wife Kate Middleton's continued recovery from her abdominal surgery on Jan. 16.
—Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Harry Reasoner, then the solo anchor of the show, was less than welcoming.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
McRae shared a post on Instagram marking the anniversary, too, which included the same video of Taylor-Joy and photo of the couple with their friends, but also a solo shot of the actress in her wedding dress with a long white veil.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Since then, each member has pursued a solo music career.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
The 27-year-old rapper achieved all of this in just four years, culminating in the February release of his first solo studio album, ICEBERG.
—Danny Hajjar, SPIN, 9 Apr. 2024
Closing reception for solo exhibition featuring works of renowned landscape painter and Northern Kentucky University professor of painting.
—Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2024
And his work is now being featured at a solo exhibition that opened yesterday at American University here in Washington.
—CBS News, 7 Apr. 2024
Facing a left-handed pitcher for the first time this season in Zack Thompson — Hernández has fared much better against lefties than righties in his career — Hernández clobbered an elevated fastball in the second inning into the right-field bullpen for a solo blast.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
With another solo date on the horizon, this was crucial.
—Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2024
Verb
Shared by Burbank and North Hollywood, Valhalla Memorial Park, opened a few years before Charles Lindbergh soloed across the Atlantic, had its past share of fraud and neglect.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
One day Cissy said, 'Your baby is soloing in church for the first time this Sunday.
—Mary Shaughnessy, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2023
Classical Music San Diego Symphony music director Rafael Payare and cello star Alisa Weilerstein hit all the right notes April 19, 2020 Weilerstein will solo on Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2023
How can solo travelers ensure their own safety?
—Roger Sands, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2021
My test was comprised of trips near and far, in traffic and on winding mountain roads, solo the whole time, and always in a hurry while being safe about it.
—Josh Max, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022
Three-Eight Charlie is the story of Jerrie Mock’s record-setting flight as the first woman to solo around the world in 1964 in a single-engine Cessna 180.
—Lucia Cheng, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Aug. 2022
Richard Lin, who won the 2018 gold medal in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, will solo.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Aug. 2021
Richard Lin, who won the 2018 gold media in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, will solo.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, The Indianapolis Star, 13 July 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'solo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Italian, from solo alone, from Latin solus
First Known Use
Noun
1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adverb
1712, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1886, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Phrases Containing solo
Dictionary Entries Near solo
Cite this Entry
“Solo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solo. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
solo
2 of 3 adverb or adjective
: without a companion : alone
solo
3 of 3 verb
soloed; soloing
-(ˌ)lō-iŋ,
-lə-wiŋ
: to perform by oneself
especially
: to fly an airplane without one's instructor
Etymology
Noun
from Italian solo "a part in music performed without accompaniment," from solo (adjective) "alone," from Latin solus "alone" — related to desolate, sole entry 4, solitude
More from Merriam-Webster on solo
Nglish: Translation of solo for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of solo for Arabic Speakers
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