one-man
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to, or operated, performed, or used by one person.
a one-man office; a one-man band.
-
preferring or seeking romantic involvement with one man only.
a one-man woman.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of one-man
First recorded in 1835–45
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.
He’s the one-man band of the Trump administration.
From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026
Rothko, the Latvian immigrant who helped define abstract expressionism, has emerged as this season’s one-man barometer of the art market’s health.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
A strong family connection runs throughout the play, as the one-man show is also performed by Aoibh's brother, Rónán Johnson.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
But in theory, the outcome depends on two things: Whether a one-man blockade in the Senate breaks, and what Powell decides to do next.
From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026
Each Ik has become a group, a one-man tribe on its own, a constituency.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
