lone
Americanadjective
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being alone; without company or accompaniment; solitary; unaccompanied.
a lone traveler.
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standing by itself or apart; isolated.
a lone house in the valley.
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sole; single; only.
That company constitutes our lone competitor in the field.
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unmarried or widowed.
adjective
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unaccompanied; solitary
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single or isolated
a lone house
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a literary word for lonely
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unmarried or widowed
Synonym Usage
See alone.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lone
1325–75; Middle English; aphetic var of alone, used attributively
Explanation
Something described as lone is the only one of its kind — it's on its own. The lone child waiting for a ride home from school is the very last kid to be picked up. The lone tree in your yard is the only one growing there, and if your well is your lone source of water, it's the only way that water flows from the shower or the kitchen faucet. Sometimes lone is used to mean "lacking support," as when a state senator's vote is a lone voice in opposition to a proposed bill. If someone calls you a "lone wolf," they see you as someone who prefers acting alone.
Vocabulary lists containing lone
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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Commonly Confused Words, List 4
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Commonly Confused Words, List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Like nearly everyone I grew up around in this corner of Pennsylvania, Sundays in our house were a congregation in green, and I was the lone holdout in the pew, quietly pulling for New England.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
The defence lawyer said he had no indication of what this lone juror was thinking and he did not confirm the 11-1 split the jury forewoman reported earlier.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Palos Verdes’ lone disappointment was a leg injury to standout lineman Logan Lara that required the game to be delayed while paramedics were called.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
It’s coming from the point of view of jurors who are frustrated with this lone juror who is not agreeing with them and their characterization of this juror.
From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026
Below, a lone maple shivered in the wind, shedding leaf after leaf that scooted down the lane without so much as a backward glance.
From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
