lone

adjective

ˈlōn How to pronounce lone (audio)
Synonyms of lone
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 of lone

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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
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.
Entering the weekend, the Trojans had just one win in 14 matches this season … and that lone win came in late August. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 The council voted 4-1 to continue the hearing, with Bass casting the lone dissenting vote. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026 In 2020, the Commanders earned their lone win of the past three matchups. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Picault, who logged 20 appearances for Miami last season, drove his penalty into the bottom right corner to give Atlanta its lone goal of the night. — Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lone

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

Rhymes for lone

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Browse Nearby Words

Londrina
lone
lone hand
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Cite this Entry

“Lone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lone. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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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
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