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

"We feel like we're as safe as we can possibly be. But we can't control, you know, the lone wolf," Mullin told "Fox and Friends" on Thursday, hours before the nearly six-week tournament opened.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

"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

Mr Rowe said he was questioned by police while in custody and it "felt like they'd gone out that day expecting to catch some kind of lone wolf attacker".

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2025

"Then about the age of 13, we implicitly and explicitly tell a lot of young men that's not cool. You should be a lone wolf, should be able to stand in your own."

From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2023

Once Kapugen had told her that some wolves had tolerated a lone wolf until the day he stole meat from the pups.

From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George