lone wolf

American  

[lohn woolf] / ˈloʊn ˈwʊlf /

noun

1. a person who prefers to live, act, or work alone or independent of others.

2. a criminal who acts alone (often used attributively).

   lone-wolf terrorists.

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lone wolf British  

noun

1. a person who prefers to be alone

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lone wolf Idioms  

1. A person who prefers to do without the company or assistance of others. For example, Her nursery school teacher described Beth as a lone wolf, an assessment her parents found astonishing. This expression alludes to the tendency of some species of wolf to hunt alone rather than in packs. [c. 1900]

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Etymology

Origin of lone wolf

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lone wolf

"My impression is he was a lone wolf," Trump said, adding that the suspect's motivation was not yet clear but he believed the gunman was "sick."

From Barron's ● Apr. 26, 2026

"They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too," the president said.

From Barron's ● Apr. 26, 2026

So yeah, I think now the current misconception is that he was a lone wolf acting alone.

From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2024

Worryingly, the speculation was picked up by Australian media outlet 7News, which named Benjamin Cohen as the "40-year-old lone wolf attacker".

From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2024

"When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives," he said.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin