solitary

2 of 2

noun

as in hermit
a person who lives away from others weary of European civilization, the painter Paul Gauguin famously abandoned France to become a solitary in the South Seas

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word solitary distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of solitary are alone, desolate, forlorn, lonely, lonesome, and lone. While all these words mean "isolated from others," solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course, but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

glorying in the calm of her solitary life
left solitary by the death of his wife

When can alone be used instead of solitary?

The meanings of alone and solitary largely overlap; however, 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

In what contexts can desolate take the place of solitary?

The words desolate and solitary can be used in similar contexts, but desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

When is it sensible to use forlorn instead of solitary?

Although the words forlorn and solitary have much in common, forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

How does the word lone relate to other synonyms for solitary?

Lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

How do lonely and solitary relate to one another?

Lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

When is lonesome a more appropriate choice than solitary?

The synonyms lonesome and solitary are sometimes interchangeable, but lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of solitary
Adjective
Cats in particular, with their solitary and skittish ways, can also teach them patience. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025 Rising out of the remote Mojave Desert, NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar is a solitary satellite dish that communicates with spacecraft. Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 14 May 2025
Noun
Former convicts also said that men in solitary had to put away their beds from waking call to sleep time, forcing them to stand or sit for most of the day. Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 The changes allow inmates in solitary to participate in additional rehabilitative programming and shave time off their isolation by earning credits. Lindsey Holden, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024 See All Example Sentences for solitary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for solitary
Adjective
  • In his lone college season at Duke, Flagg solidified himself as the best prospect in the country, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks.
    Christian Clark, New York Times, 13 May 2025
  • The lone survivor was identified as Anton Tselykh, 38, of Seattle, according to the sheriff's office.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • Health officials have said the United States is facing a mental health crisis, and in 2023, nearly 1 in 4 adults around the world reported feeling fairly or very lonely.
    Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
  • Similarly, a cat was sent to a shelter after 10 years in a home after his owner passed away, leaving him lonely and searching for a new home.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • Or take another boat (there is not a boat that goes to both islands on a round trip) to the smaller island of Saint-Honorat, to an abbey founded by a hermit in 410CE, when monks owned most of Cannes.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • Fast forward to 1993, and Mike has been living as a hermit on an island in the Faroes archipelago for 15 years, supported by classical pianist and friend Daniel.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That’s not the only option for protecting against quantum threats, though; Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Standard (ML-DSA) implementation is also in the works.
    Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025
  • The Bay Area isn’t the only U.S. city seeing massive growth.
    Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • Eurostar already allows passengers to book a single ticket from London to several Swiss cities, including Geneva, Zurich, and Lausanne.
    Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • The Dragons loaded the bases with two outs for Dean who lined a single to right to drive home two to give Carroll a 3-0 lead.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2025
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, 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
Adjective
  • While Jin made his first solo visit last year, BTS has a long history on The Tonight Show.
    Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 14 May 2025
  • Since then, musicians have focused on their solo careers, although the group has reissued several of their formative albums in recent years.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2025
Adjective
  • So when most kids were enrolling in third grade, Alisa was enrolled in community college, as a special student, in spring 2023.
    Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 22 May 2025
  • Monday is when scheduled events at the cemetery include a concert by the United States Marine Band and the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters, a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a parade of colors by Veterans’ organizations and remarks from special guests.
    John Bacon, USA Today, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Solitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solitary. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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