lone

adjective

ˈlōn 

1

a

: having no company : solitary

b

: preferring solitude

2

: only, sole

3

: situated by itself : isolated

loneness

ˈlōn-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• only
• one
• sole
• solitary
• special
• unique

Choose the Right Synonym for lone

alone, solitary, lonely, lonesome, lone, forlorn, desolate mean isolated from others.

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

solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course

glorying in the calm of her solitary life

but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

left solitary by the death of his wife

lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

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

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

Examples of lone in a Sentence

the lone ripe apple in the entire bag

just one lone cow in the middle of the field

Recent Examples on the Web

Barbara Byrne, former vice chairman of British investment bank Barclays PLC, is the lone holdover from the old board and will sit as an independent director. —Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025

Supermarket shoppers in the Miami and Orlando areas shared Monday’s lone jackpot win among the Fantasy 5, Cash4Life and Powerball draw games. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2025

The mythology, which has already inspired at least one film, casts St. Clair as boldly resisting Schultz’s incursion: a lone queen defending a thriving Black business against a predatory assault by white gangsters. —Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025

Painter is going to need a spot, though, and there isn't an obvious one available unless the Phillies decide to let their lone free agent from the rotation walk. —Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, short for alone

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lone

• lone ranger
• lone star tick
• lone wolf
• plough a lone/lonely furrow

Rhymes for lone

• blown
• clone
• cone
• crone
• drone
• flown
• groan
• grown
• hone
• joan
• known
• loan

Kids Definition

lone

adjective

ˈlōn 

1

: having no company : solitary

a lone traveler

2

: situated by itself

a lone outpost