lone

American  

[lohn] / loʊn /

adjective

1. being alone; without company or accompaniment; solitary; unaccompanied.

   a lone traveler.

2. standing by itself or apart; isolated.

   a lone house in the valley.

   Synonyms:

   secluded, separate

3. sole; single; only.

   That company constitutes our lone competitor in the field.

4. unfrequented.

5. without companionship; lonesome; lonely.

6. unmarried or widowed.

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lone British  

/ ləʊn /

adjective

1. unaccompanied; solitary

2. single or isolated

   a lone house

3. a literary word for lonely

4. unmarried or widowed

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Related Words

See alone.

Other Word Forms

• loneness noun

Etymology

Origin of lone

1325–75; Middle English; aphetic var of alone, used attributively

Example Sentences

Think frittatas or egg bakes, perfect for dispatching vegetable scraps, wilting herbs, bits of cheese or that lone slice of bacon that’s been begging for a job.

From Salon

Robertson was a key figure in Forest's back-to-back European Cup final triumphs, the Scotland winger setting up Trevor Francis' goal against Malmo in 1979 and scoring the lone goal himself the following year against Hamburg.

From Barron's

A lone shepherd respectfully doffs his hat as he finds himself in the presence of an angel trailing a long message: “I bring you tidings of great joy . . . ”

From The Wall Street Journal

Meanwhile, a few lone shoppers sprinkle into the store to get their weekly groceries as music blasts through the speakers.

From Los Angeles Times

Mrs Justice Smyth said: "I accept they were not acting as lone wolves, although neither was charged with membership of an organisation."

From BBC

Related Words

• lonely
• sole
• solitary