Lone

/loʊn/

adjectiveBeginner📊CommonGeneral
2 meanings1 idiom/phrase3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

Being alone; without companions.

/loʊn/

adjectiveneutralBeginner
General

Being without other people; solitary.

She was a lone figure standing on the hill.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're at a party, and you're by yourself in the corner – you're lone! It means you're the only one doing your own thing, like a cat silently observing the world.

👶 For kids: When you're all by yourself, like playing alone in your room, you're lone!

More Examples

2

The lone survivor of the shipwreck was rescued after weeks at sea.

3

A lone tree stood in the middle of the field.

How It's Used

General

"The lone traveler walked through the desert."

Literary

"A lone wolf howled at the moon."

2

Being the only one of its kind; unique or single in its type or class.

/loʊn/

adjectiveneutralmedium
Academic

Being the only one of its kind; unique.

The lone survivor of the avalanche recounted their harrowing experience.

💡 Simply: Imagine you find a special seashell that no one else has, it’s one of a kind. That seashell is 'lone' or unique.

👶 For kids: If something is the only one like it, like a special toy you have that nobody else does, it's a lone one.

More Examples

2

A lone star twinkled in the night sky.

3

This is the lone remaining copy of the book.

How It's Used

General

"The lone example of this artifact is in the museum."

Formal

"A lone incident of this type does not indicate a pattern."

Tip:Think of the word ALONE being the only one of its kind.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

lone wolf

A person who prefers to work or live alone, without being part of a group.

"He's a real lone wolf; he prefers to work independently."

From Middle English *lone*, *loan*, from Old English *lān* ('single, alone').

Appears frequently in 19th-century literature and poetry, often depicting themes of isolation and solitude.

Memory tip

Think of someone who likes to be ALONE.

Word Origin

LanguageOld English
Original meaning

"single, alone"

lone figurelone wolflone survivorlone starlone tree

Common misspellings

loanloanedlown

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written