Top Definitions
Synonyms
Quiz
Related Content
Examples
British
Idioms And Phrases

single

[ sing-guhl ]

/ ˈsɪŋ gəl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: single / singled / singles / singling on Thesaurus.com

adjective

only one in number; one only; unique; sole: a single example.

of, relating to, or suitable for one person only: a single room.

solitary or sole; lone: He was the single survivor.

unmarried or not in a romantic relationship: a single man.

pertaining to the unmarried state: the single life.

of or noting a parent who brings up a child or children alone, without a partner.

of one against one, as combat or fight.

consisting of only one part, element, or member: a single lens.

sincere and undivided: single devotion.

separate, particular, or distinct; individual: Every single one of you must do your best. It's the single most important thing.

uniform; applicable to all: a single safety code for all manufacturers.

(of a bed or bedclothes) twin-size.

(of a flower) having only one set of petals.

British. of standard strength or body, as ale, beer, etc.Compare double (def. 1).

(of the eye) seeing rightly.

verb (used with object), sin·gled, sin·gling.

to pick or choose (one) from others (usually followed by out): to single out a fact for special mention.

Baseball.

to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a one-base hit.
to cause (a run) to be scored by a one-base hit (often followed by in or home).

verb (used without object), sin·gled, sin·gling.

Baseball. to hit a single.

noun

one person or thing; a single one.

an accommodation suitable for one person only, as a hotel room or a table at a restaurant: to reserve a single.

a ticket for a single seat at a theater.

British.

a one-way ticket.
a steam locomotive having one driving wheel on each side.

singles, people who are unmarried or not in a romantic relationship, especially if relatively young: It's not uncommon for singles to feel lonely on Valentine Day.

Baseball.Also called one-base hit. a base hit that enables a batter to reach first base safely.

singles, (used with a singular verb) a match with one player on each side, as a tennis match.

Golf. twosome (def. 4).

Cricket. a hit for which one run is scored.

Informal. a one-dollar bill.

Music.

a phonograph record, CD, or cassette usually having two songs: I probably won't buy the single.
one of the songs recorded on a single: a hit single.
a song released or promoted separately from the rest of the album to which it belongs: A viral video put that single back on the charts.

Often singles .Textiles.

reeled or spun silk that may or may not be thrown.
a one-ply yarn of any fiber that has been drawn and twisted.

OTHER WORDS FOR single

1 distinct, particular.

4 unwed.

16 select.

See synonyms for single on Thesaurus.com

VIDEO FOR SINGLE

Was "Single" Always A Negative Word?

The word "single" may seem like a lonely word, but does it just get a bad rap?

MORE VIDEOS FROM DICTIONARY.COM

QUIZ

IS THIS EIGHTH GRADE VOCAB QUIZ FEASIBLE FOR YOU?

Prove that nothing is amiss with your vocabulary skills by taking this quiz on popular eighth grade vocabulary.

Question 1 of 10

What does the word “confiscate” mean?

to praise or celebrate

to gather together

to seize by or as if by authority; appropriate summarily

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Origin of single

1275–1325; late Middle English (adj.), Middle English sengle<Old French <Latin singulus individual, single (usually in the plural singuli one apiece), derivative of *sem- one (see simplex)

OTHER WORDS FROM single

quasi-single, adjectivequasi-singly, adverbun·sin·gle, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH single

1. signal, single 2. single , singular

Words nearby single

Singhalese, singingfish, singing game, singing hinny, singing telegram, single, single-acting, single-action, single-barrel, single-blind, single bond

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use single in a sentence

Zocdoc is acting as a unified portal for multiple providers, so that people can sign up with a single, more user-friendly tool rather than wrestle with several different systems at once.
Chicago thinks Zocdoc can help solve its vaccine chaos|Lindsay Muscato|February 12, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Six songs, all from a single whale that sang as it swam, were analyzed by seismologists Václav Kuna of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague and John Nábělek of Oregon State University in Corvallis.
Fin whale songs can reveal hidden features of the ocean floor|Carolyn Gramling|February 11, 2021|Science News
We work with a range of outlets including Politico on substantive stories every single day and look forward to having a constructive working relationship.
Politico loses scoop to People|Erik Wemple|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
As the pandemic drags on and more people move out of cities, demand for single-family homes as compared to apartments has gone up.
A 3D Printed House Just Went up on Zillow—for Half the Price of Its Neighbors|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|February 11, 2021|Singularity Hub

Idling at 23 Grand Slam singles titles, Williams needs one more to tie and two to overtake Court in the overall tally.
How Serena Williams Could Finally Break The Grand Slam Record|Amy Lundy|February 10, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
Despite the strong language, however, the neither the JPO nor Lockheed could dispute a single fact in either Daily Beast report.
Pentagon Misfires in Stealth Jet Scandal|Dave Majumdar|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is not a decisive war, with a single, signature victory, but a war of attrition.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A single father, he had been living abroad and returned when his mother was diagnosed with cancer.
Everyone at This Dinner Party Has Lost Someone|Samantha Levine|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They stood in a single row, united by solemn respect as the Liu family remained inside.
Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss|Michael Daly|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In a show about single women, Sex and The City was always in a rush to get to the altar—and with a man there waiting.
Why Singles Should Say ‘I Don’t’ to The Self-Marriage Movement|Tim Teeman|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When the whole hunt is hunting up, each single change is made between the whole hunt, and the next bell above it.
Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing|Richard Duckworth and Fabian Stedman
She apparently prefers to paint single figures of women and young girls, but her works include a variety of subjects.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
Beginning with single twigs and working over them patiently she at length painted whole trees, and later animals.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
Liking for a single colour is a considerably smaller display of mind than an appreciation of the relation of two colours.
Children's Ways|James Sully
My orders ought to have been taken before a single unwounded Officer or man was ferried back aboard ship.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton

British Dictionary definitions for single

single

/ (ˈsɪŋɡəl) /

adjective (usually prenominal)

existing alone; solitaryupon the hill stood a single tower

distinct from other things; unique or individual

composed of one part

designed for one usera single room; a single bed

(also postpositive) unmarried

connected with the condition of being unmarriedhe led a single life

(esp of combat) involving two individuals; one against one

sufficient for one person or thing onlya single portion of food

even onethere wasn't a single person on the beach

(of a flower) having only one set or whorl of petals

determined; single-mindeda single devotion to duty

(of the eye) seeing correctlyto consider something with a single eye

rare honest or sincere; genuine

archaic (of ale, beer, etc) mild in strength

noun

something forming one individual unit

an unmarried person

a gramophone record, CD, or cassette with a short recording, usually of pop music, on it

golf a game between two players

cricket a hit from which one run is scored

British a pound note
US and Canadian a dollar note

See single ticket

verb

(tr usually foll by out) to select from a group of people or things; distinguish by separationhe singled him out for special mention

(tr) to thin out (seedlings)

short for single-foot

See also singles

Derived forms of single

singleness, noun

Word Origin for single

C14: from Old French sengle, from Latin singulus individual

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with single

single

In addition to the idioms beginning with single

single file, in
single out

also see:

each and every (every single)

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.