alone

[uh-lohn]

adjective

1. separate, apart, or isolated from others.

   I want to be alone.

   Synonyms: unattended, unaccompanied, solitary, single

2. to the exclusion of all others or all else.

   One cannot live by bread alone.

3. unique; unequaled; unparalleled.

   He is alone among his peers in devotion to duty.

adverb

1. solitarily; solo.

   She prefers to live alone.

2. only; exclusively.

   You alone hold the key to your happiness.

3. without aid or help.

   The baby let go of the side of the crib and stood alone.

alone

/ əˈləʊn /

adjective

1. apart from another or others; solitary

2. without anyone or anything else

   one man alone could lift it

3. without equal; unique

   he stands alone in the field of microbiology

4. to the exclusion of others; only

   she alone believed him

5. to refrain from annoying or interfering with

6. to refrain from interfering with something that is satisfactory

7. much less; not to mention

   he can't afford beer, let alone whisky

Usage

See leave ¹.

Other Word Forms

• aloneness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of alone¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English al one all (in the sense “wholly”) one

Word History and Origins

Origin of alone¹

Old English al one, literally: all (entirely) one

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. let alone. let.

2. leave / let well enough alone, to be satisfied with the existing situation; refrain from attempting to change conditions.

   Marriages are often destroyed by relatives who will not let well enough alone.

3. leave alone. leave.

see go it alone; leave someone alone; leave well enough alone; let alone.

Synonym Study

Alone, lone, lonely, lonesome all imply being without companionship or association. Alone is colorless unless reinforced by all; it then suggests solitariness or desolation: alone in the house; all alone on an island. Lone is somewhat poetic or is intended humorously: a lone sentinel. Lonely implies a sad or disquieting feeling of isolation. Lonesome connotes emotion, a longing for companionship.

Example Sentences

Brown later explained that he had let his frustrations get the best of him, but he wasn’t alone.

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Jones isn’t alone among talented players who have flourished after Belichick moved on.

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Trade’s most vital contribution was intellectual, giving these cultures access to ideas, methods and technologies they couldn’t have developed alone.

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In Act 2, which spans about three years in 55 minutes, the cousins work their way back from the painful discovery that the creation of an alternative world through art cannot alone solve terrible problems.

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It said the U.S. “stood out,” with imports of semiconductors alone surging by 36%, while purchases of servers and automatic data processing machines grew by 10%.

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Related Words

• only 
• unattended 

When To Use

What is a basic definition of alone?

Alone is an adjective that describes someone or something as being in isolation or as being unique. Alone is used as an adverb to mean something was done by a single individual. Alone has a few additional senses as an adjective and an adverb.If you are alone, you are the only human being present in a place. Generally, alone is neither good nor bad. If it’s used in the phrase “all alone” though, it implies a sense of sadness or loneliness. Alone always describes a situation where there is exactly one thing existing apart from all others.Real-life examples: Some animals, such as tigers, like to be alone and spend most of their lives away from others of their species. You may want to be alone in your room, away from other people. An actor might be alone on stage when giving a monologue.Used in a sentence: I was alone in the dark, spooky room. Alone also describes something as being unique or being the only example of something.Real-life examples: A championship is won by one team alone. You alone are the only one who knows how you feel.Used in a sentence: I always feel like I am alone in my love of smelly cheese. Alone is also used as an adverb to mean something was done by a single individual.Real-life examples: A widow might live alone in her house after her husband dies. A solo is when a singer or musician performs alone. Most games cannot be played alone and need at least a second player.Used in a sentence: She likes to hike alone in the woods.