loner

American  

[loh-ner] / ˈloʊ nər /

noun

1. a person who is or prefers to be alone, especially one who avoids the company of others.

   He was always a loner—no one knew him well.

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loner British  

/ ˈləʊnə /

noun

1. informal a person or animal who avoids the company of others or prefers to be alone

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Etymology

Origin of loner

First recorded in 1945–50; lone + -er ¹

Explanation

A loner is someone who prefers being alone to spending time with other people. If you're a loner, you'd rather take a walk in the woods by yourself than go to a party. An extreme kind of loner is a hermit, a person who lives far from society, completely alone, and doesn't interact with anyone. Other loners are simply introverts, people who often need a break from socializing and enjoy spending time on their own. Loner seems to have appeared in the 1940s, originally in "Life" magazine's description of baseball player Ted Williams as "something of a loner (who) refuses to pal around with his teammates."

Example Sentences

This is certainly true for Lincoln Donelan, who runs parties called Loner both virtually and in his hometown, Melbourne, Australia.

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2022

Loner Rambo leaves a Buddhist monastery to free his Green Beret mentor from Soviets in Afghanistan.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 9, 2019

Caroline Rose, the singer-songwriter who recently released her second album Loner, is a proponent of a DIY gargle.

From Slate • Jan. 1, 2019

“Right now it looks like we are within 1 percent of meeting those total targets, and it could be 1 percent in either direction,” Loner said.

From Washington Times • May 13, 2018

Two old people living near me, brother and maiden sister, named Loner, both pass three scores, were asked to give their money.

From History of Kershaw's Brigade by Dickert, D. Augustus

Related Words

• hermit
• outsider