lone

adjective

ˈlōn How to pronounce lone (audio)
Synonyms of lonenext
1
a
: having no company : solitary
b
: preferring solitude
2
: only, sole
3
: situated by itself : isolated
loneness
ˈlōn-nəs How to pronounce lone (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
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 Other Republican secretary of state candidates have also casted doubt on the 2020 election results in interviews with USA TODAY, including West Virginian Kris Warner and Vermont's H. Brooke Paige — both of whom are lone GOP candidates in their state's race. —Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2024 Kansas’s lone House Democrat, who represents the state’s only swing seat, will discover her Republican challenger, as well. —Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Aug. 2024 The 2002 Giants were 10 games over .500 and a game out of the lone wild card spot. —Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2024 Tyler subsequently released a lone solo album in 2016. —Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lone 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lone.' 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

Middle English, short for alone

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lone was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing lone

Dictionary Entries Near lone

Londrina

lone

lone hand

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Lone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lone. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.

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Kids Definition

lone

adjective
ˈlōn How to pronounce lone (audio)
1
: having no company : solitary
a lone traveler
2
: situated by itself
a lone outpost

More from Merriam-Webster on lone

Nglish: Translation of lone for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of lone for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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