solitary

American  

[sol-i-ter-ee] / ˈsɒl ɪˌtɛr i /

adjective

1. alone; without companions; unattended.

   a solitary passer-by.

   Synonyms:

   lone

2. living alone; avoiding the society of others.

   a solitary existence.

3. by itself; alone.

   one solitary house.

4. characterized by the absence of companions.

   a solitary journey.

5. done without assistance or accompaniment; done in solitude.

   solitary chores.

6. being the only one.

   a solitary exception.

7. characterized by solitude, as a place; unfrequented, secluded, or lonely.

   a solitary cabin in the woods.

   Synonyms:

   remote, retired, isolated

8. Zoology. living habitually alone or in pairs, as certain wasps.

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noun

plural

solitaries

1. a person who lives alone or in solitude, or avoids the society of others.

   Synonyms:

   recluse, hermit

2. a person who lives in solitude from religious motives.

   Synonyms:

   eremite, recluse, hermit

3. solitary confinement.

solitary British  

/ -trɪ, ˈsɒlɪtərɪ /

adjective

1. following or enjoying a life of solitude

   a solitary disposition

2. experienced or performed alone

   a solitary walk

3. (of a place) unfrequented

4. (prenominal) single; sole

   a solitary speck in the sky

5. having few companions; lonely

6. (of animals) not living in organized colonies or large groups Compare social gregarious

   solitary bees

   a solitary elephant

7. (of flowers) growing singly

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noun

1. a person who lives in seclusion; hermit; recluse

2. informal short for solitary confinement

Other Word Forms

• solitarily adverb
• solitariness noun
• unsolitary adjective

Etymology

Origin of solitary

1300–50; Middle English < Latin sōlitārius alone, by itself, solitary, equivalent to sōlit ( ās ) solitude ( sōl ( us ) sole ¹ + -itās -ity ) + -ārius -ary

Explanation

If you're a lone wolf, a one-man band, a rugged individualist, or an island unto yourself, you prefer to be solitary — in other words, alone or single. The term can be used to describe a person, a place, or a thing. Solitary comes to us from the Latin solus, which means alone. Note its similarity to words like solo and, for all you card players out there, solitaire. You can take a solitary walk, during which you don't utter a solitary word, but pause to admire a solitary green shoot peeping through the snow. Solitary is also common in the prison world: Inmates on Alcatraz who were deemed too dangerous to mingle with their fellows were put in solitary confinement cells.

Example Sentences

After six birdies and a solitary bogey at Harbour Town, MacIntyre feels his game is in a good place.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Then, one solitary New Year’s Eve, as fireworks ring out in the streets, he does it: 999,700.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Joseph replied, “I am currently in solitary but they got me a bible so i have been able to stay encouraged. Thanks for the encouraging message! it means a lot!”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Make copies of every single solitary scrap of paper!

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

In many ways she was as cool and competent as Henry; tough-minded and solitary in her habits, and in many ways as aloof.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Related Words

• lone
• lonely
• singular