single
Americanadjective
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only one in number; one only; unique; sole.
a single example.
- Synonyms:
- particular, distinct
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of, relating to, or suitable for one person only.
a single room.
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solitary or sole; lone.
He was the single survivor.
- Synonyms:
- isolated
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unmarried or not in a romantic relationship.
a single man.
- Synonyms:
- unwed
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pertaining to the unmarried state.
the single life.
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of or noting a parent who brings up a child or children alone, without a partner.
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of one against one, as combat or fight.
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consisting of only one part, element, or member.
a single lens.
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sincere and undivided.
single devotion.
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separate, particular, or distinct; individual.
Every single one of you must do your best. It's the single most important thing.
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uniform; applicable to all.
a single safety code for all manufacturers.
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(of a bed or bedclothes) twin-size.
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(of a flower) having only one set of petals.
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British. of standard strength or body, as ale, beer, etc.
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(of the eye) seeing rightly.
verb (used with object)
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to pick or choose (one) from others (usually followed byout ).
to single out a fact for special mention.
- Synonyms:
- select
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Baseball.
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to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a one-base hit.
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to cause (a run) to be scored by a one-base hit (often followed by in orhome ).
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verb (used without object)
noun
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one person or thing; a single one.
- Synonyms:
- individual
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an accommodation suitable for one person only, as a hotel room or a table at a restaurant.
to reserve a single.
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a ticket for a single seat at a theater.
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British.
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a one-way ticket.
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a steam locomotive having one driving wheel on each side.
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singles, people who are unmarried or not in a romantic relationship, especially if relatively young.
It's not uncommon for singles to feel lonely on Valentine Day.
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Also called one-base hit. Baseball. a base hit that enables a batter to reach first base safely.
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(used with a singular verb) singles, a match with one player on each side, as a tennis match.
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Golf. twosome.
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Cricket. a hit for which one run is scored.
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Informal. a one-dollar bill.
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Music.
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a phonograph record, CD, or cassette usually having two songs.
I probably won't buy the single.
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one of the songs recorded on a single.
a hit single.
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a song released or promoted separately from the rest of the album to which it belongs.
A viral video put that single back on the charts.
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Textiles. Often singles
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reeled or spun silk that may or may not be thrown.
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a one-ply yarn of any fiber that has been drawn and twisted.
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adjective
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existing alone; solitary
upon the hill stood a single tower
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distinct from other things; unique or individual
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composed of one part
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designed for one user
a single room
a single bed
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(also postpositive) unmarried
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connected with the condition of being unmarried
he led a single life
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(esp of combat) involving two individuals; one against one
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sufficient for one person or thing only
a single portion of food
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even one
there wasn't a single person on the beach
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(of a flower) having only one set or whorl of petals
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determined; single-minded
a single devotion to duty
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(of the eye) seeing correctly
to consider something with a single eye
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rare honest or sincere; genuine
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archaic (of ale, beer, etc) mild in strength
noun
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something forming one individual unit
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an unmarried person
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a gramophone record, CD, or cassette with a short recording, usually of pop music, on it
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golf a game between two players
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cricket a hit from which one run is scored
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a pound note
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a dollar note
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See single ticket
verb
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to select from a group of people or things; distinguish by separation
he singled him out for special mention
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(tr) to thin out (seedlings)
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short for single-foot
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of single
First recorded in 1275–1325; late Middle English (adjective), Middle English sengle, from Old French, from Latin singulus “individual, single” (usually in the plural singuli “one apiece”); cf. simplex , simultaneous
Explanation
If something is totally alone, or consists of only one part, it's single, like a single sock in your clean laundry basket that's mysteriously lost its mate. Maybe there's a single house on a street, or a single red rose in a bouquet. People can be single too, if they aren't attached romantically to another person: "She had a terrible boyfriend, but now she's single." Single can also mean "distinct," or separate from everything else, like when you read every single word of a book to prepare for a test at school. And if you "single someone out," you place the focus on that one person.
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.
Single women are buying homes in spite of — not because of — the system.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026
Single parent Kayleigh Glendon, from Kent, had spent about 14 years trying to find out what was wrong before she was diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis in 2022.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
Single parenthood remains stigmatised in South Korea, leading most people to have children only within marriage.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
Working with mixer Steve Single, Fastvold and Blumberg would occasionally bring up one of these stems and layer it into the rest of the soundtrack for an added color.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2025
That night, as of 8:05, Bram Greenfeld is no longer Single on Facebook—a.k.a. the best thing that has ever happened in the history of the internet.
From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
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.
