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alone

[ uh-lohn ]

/ əˈloʊn /

See synonyms for: alone / aloneness on Thesaurus.com

adjective (used predicatively)

separate, apart, or isolated from others: I want to be alone.

to the exclusion of all others or all else: One cannot live by bread alone.

unique; unequaled; unexcelled: He is alone among his peers in devotion to duty.

adverb

solitarily; solely: She prefers to live alone.

only; exclusively.

without aid or help: The baby let go of the side of the crib and stood alone.

SYNONYMS FOR alone

1 single, solitary; unaccompanied, unattended.

See synonyms for alone on Thesaurus.com

ANTONYMS FOR alone

1 accompanied.

See antonyms for alone on Thesaurus.com

VIDEO FOR ALONE

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There are some words that are inherently sad and some others that, depending on context, may be even more depressing. Do you agree with the words these people believe are the saddest?

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QUIZZES

DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for alone

leave alone. leave¹ (def. 18).

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.

let alone. let¹ (def. 16).

Origin of alone

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

synonym study for alone

1. 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.

usage note for alone

7, 9. See leave¹.

OTHER WORDS FROM alone

a·lone·ness, noun

Words nearby alone

alogical, aloha, aloha shirt, Aloha State, aloin, alone, along, along for the ride, along in years, alongships, alongshore

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

VOCAB BUILDER

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.

Where does alone come from?

The first records of alone come from the later 1200s. It comes from the Middle English al one, meaning “exclusively one” or “entirely one.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to alone?

aloneness (noun)

What are some synonyms for alone?

What are some words that share a root or word element with alone?

What are some words that often get used in discussing alone?

How is alone used in real life?

Alone is a very common word that most often describes something that involves one person or thing.

Enjoying being alone could easily become a habit of mine. Sometimes I just want to be alone with my thoughts and music.

— Haven Raven (@ARestlessHaven) December 29, 2020

If I lived alone I would walk around naked all the time

— Matthew Morales (@mattkillsswagg) December 22, 2020

We are committed to doing everything we can at the state level to fight violent crime, but we can’t do it alone. The only way we can truly make a difference is by working together.

— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) October 14, 2020

Try using alone!

True or False?

If a person is alone in a room, no one else is in the room with them.

Example sentences from the Web for alone

By contrast, John McCain, the eventual GOP nominee, had raised approximately $12.7 million in the first quarter of 2007 alone.
Can Huckabee Convert the GOP’s Moneymen?|Lloyd Green|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Women and children are disproportionately victims, but they are not alone.
ISIS, Boko Haram, and the Growing Role of Human Trafficking in 21st Century Terrorism|Louise I. Shelley|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It happened and it was a group of maybe 200 in a movement that has drawn tens of thousands in New York alone.
The Monsters Who Screamed for Dead Cops|Jacob Siegel|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the Chinese have shown little interest, of late, in corralling its own hackers—let alone those from another country.
Obama Could Hit China to Punish North Korea|Shane Harris, Tim Mak|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The other person for whom a path to the nomination, let alone a candidacy, seems much less likely is Mitt Romney.
How A Jeb Bush Candidacy Would Hurt Chris Christie And Shake Up The 2016 GOP Field|David Freedlander|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The fear of its loss can alone teach us the true value of our treasure.
Guy Rivers: A Tale of Georgia|William Gilmore Simms
Alone the thick polled alders remain green, and in their shadow the brook is still darker.
Nature Near London|Richard Jefferies
Meantime, the leader, to whom thousands were looking up, was miserable and alone.
The Eternal City|Hall Caine
Probably not one of those tribesmen has ever set foot on the American continent, let alone in Chicago.
The Cruise of the O Moo|Roy J. Snell
Mrs. Palmer alone was absent from her guests, sitting at the telephone.
The Relentless City|Edward Frederic Benson

British Dictionary definitions for alone

alone

/ (əˈləʊn) /

adjective, adverb (postpositive)

apart from another or others; solitary

without anyone or anything elseone man alone could lift it

without equal; uniquehe stands alone in the field of microbiology

to the exclusion of others; onlyshe alone believed him

leave alone, leave be, let alone or let be to refrain from annoying or interfering with

leave well alone, leave well enough alone, let well alone or let well enough alone to refrain from interfering with something that is satisfactory

let alone much less; not to mentionhe can't afford beer, let alone whisky

Word Origin for alone

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with alone

alone

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

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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