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Synonyms

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.
loner British  
/ ˈləʊnə /

noun

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

"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

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."

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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.

His reputation as a genius loner rides on two kinds of art.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

Since I’m a loner, I don’t have any really close friends, either.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026

Through the first two films in Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s planned trilogy, the audience comes to know him as a reserved loner who prizes calm.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026

There has also been early awards-season chatter around some of the film's stars, including Ralph Fiennes' performance as eccentric loner Dr Ian Kelson.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

Except for people seeking a depressed loner like Holden Caulfield.

From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher

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.