singly

American  

[sing-glee] / ˈsɪŋ gli /

adverb

1. apart from others; separately.

2. one at a time; as single units.

3. singlehanded; alone.

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singly British  

/ ˈsɪŋɡlɪ /

adverb

1. one at a time; one by one

2. apart from others; separately; alone

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Etymology

Origin of singly

First recorded in 1250–1300, singly is from the Middle English word senglely. See single, -ly

Example Sentences

Singly charged ions could escape, while multiply charged ions, which are often more biologically important, remained trapped.

From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026

Singly, I can manage bros; en masse, I struggle.

From Salon • Jan. 10, 2016

A new startup, Personal, has $7.6 million from funders including Steve Case’s Revolution venture fund and another locker, Singly, recently closed a $7 million round.

From BusinessWeek • May 10, 2012

Singly and in groups, the world's clergymen were doing their best last week to give the answer.

From Time Magazine Archive

Singly and in pairs, boys who had tried out for the team walked up to check the list for their names.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy