solo

American  

[soh-loh] / ˈsoʊ loʊ /

noun

• solos,
  plural
• soli
  plural

1. a musical composition or a passage or section in a musical composition written for performance by one singer or instrumentalist, with or without accompaniment.

   She sang a solo.

2. any performance, as a dance, by one person.

3. a flight in an airplane during which the pilot is unaccompanied by an instructor or other person.

   I'll be ready for my first solo next week.

4. a person who works, acts, or performs alone.

   He used to sing with a quartet, but now he's a solo.

5. a person who performs or accomplishes something without the usual equipment, tools, etc.

6. Informal. an announcement, commercial offering, etc., made to only one person or a selected group of such persons.

   Each month the firm sends a solo to its best customers.

7. Cards. any of certain games in which one person plays alone against others.

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adjective

1. Music. performing alone.

   a part for solo bassoon.

2. performed alone; not combined with other parts of equal importance; not concerted.

3. alone; without a companion or partner.

   a solo flight.

adverb

1. on one's own; alone or unaccompanied.

   After six lessons he was flying solo.

verb (used without object)

• solos,
  present (3rd person singular)
• soloed,
  past participle,  past
• soloing
  present participle

1. to perform or do a solo.

   to solo on the trumpet.

2. to pilot a plane, glider, etc., unaccompanied, especially for the first time.

   After the course the students should be able to solo.

3. to perform or accomplish something by oneself.

verb (used with object)

• solos,
  present (3rd person singular)
• soloed,
  past participle,  past
• soloing
  present participle

1. to pilot (a plane, glider, etc.) unaccompanied.

2. to allow (a student pilot) to pilot a plane, glider, etc., alone.

   The instructor decided to solo the student.

solo British  

/ ˈsəʊləʊ /

noun

1. a musical composition for one performer with or without accompaniment

2. any of various card games in which each person plays on his own instead of in partnership with another, such as solo whist

3. a flight in which an aircraft pilot is unaccompanied

4. 1. any performance, mountain climb, or other undertaking carried out by an individual without assistance from others

   2. ( as modifier )

      a solo attempt

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adjective

1. music unaccompanied

   a sonata for cello solo

adverb

1. by oneself; alone

   to fly solo

verb

1. (intr) to undertake a venture alone, esp to operate an aircraft alone or climb alone

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• soli
  plural
• solos
  plural

Participles

• soloing
  present
• soloed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• solo
  simple
• solos
  simple
• have soloed
  perfect
• has soloed
  perfect
• am soloing
  progressive
• are soloing
  progressive
• is soloing
  progressive
• have been soloing
  perfect progressive
• has been soloing
  perfect progressive

Past

• soloed
  simple
• had soloed
  perfect
• was soloing
  progressive
• were soloing
  progressive
• had been soloing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will solo
  simple
• will have soloed
  perfect
• will be soloing
  progressive
• will have been soloing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of solo

1685–95; < Italian < Latin sōlus alone

Explanation

A versatile word, solo means "alone" and can be used as a verb ("I get to solo in band today"), a noun ("She sang a beautiful solo"), or an adjective (I can't wait for my solo flight"). The word solo is often associated with a musical performance, from the Italian derivative from the Latin sōlum, "alone." Until the end of the 17th century, just the Latin form was used, usually in stage directions. Then it entered musical terminology, as sola, in 1695. The adjectival use developed in the 18th century, and in 1864 the form soloist, referring to one who performed a solo, first appeared. It wasn't until the mid-19th century that the word was used as a verb.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

solo soli solos soloed soloing

Instead, many people lean toward prepared foods and often eat them solo.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026

I’m like, “No we weren’t — you did the solo in Atlanta on Rich’s Les Paul.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Something new to listen to: Six years ago, indie rocker Phoebe Bridgers’ last solo album became one of the defining records of the decade.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

Now, however, the thing finally bringing a broader audience around to Gillis isn’t his solo act in sports arenas; it’s a TV show he made with a team of trusted friends in a garage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

He grins, showcasing his solo left dimple that I didn’t notice before, and slips into the pool beside me.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

While the United States is among a smaller group of countries that recognize jus soli, it is not alone in doing so.

From Salon ● May 24, 2026

Many African nations, which historically followed jus soli under colonial-era legal systems, later abandoned it after gaining independence.

From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2025

The aforementioned Republic Act observes a couple of legal principles that many countries around the world have incorporated into their legislation: jus soli and jus sanguinis.

From Encyclopedia.com ● Dec. 3, 2018

In truth, more than 30 other countries in the Western Hemisphere alone have some form of jus soli, where birth automatically confers citizenship.

From Slate ● Oct. 31, 2018

The "Stabat Mater" is written for soli, chorus, and orchestra, and comprises ten numbers.

From The Standard Oratorios Their Stories, Their Music, And Their Composers by George P. (George Putnam) Upton

Something of a lull arrived in the middle of the three-hour set, with newer, less familiar numbers, covers, and extended versions of songs with multiple solos in them.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

He has edited his solos a little; they seem more concise, but they still achieve the same goal: liftoff.

From Salon ● May 28, 2026

Coltrane’s status had grown rapidly in the late 1950s with awestruck solos featuring what critic Ira Gitler called “sheets of sound.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

He was known for taking decidedly corny-seeming songs that no other serious player would touch—“I’m an Old Cowhand,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business”—and blowing aggressive, braying solos over them, forging them into legitimate jazz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

“For solos, right after lunch. And Zara, please save your barf for outside.”

From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee

He could have free soloed it, he says, but he would have been arrested.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

He started lessons at 15, soloed on his 16th birthday and had a flight instructor’s rating by the time he graduated high school.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2024

Vingegaard kept intact his 10-second overall lead over the two-time champion on Sunday as Dutch veteran Wout Poels soloed to victory after a tough trek in the Alps with a mountaintop finish.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 16, 2023

Nils Politt soloed to victory on stage 12 of the Tour de France as Tadej Pogacar retained the leader's yellow jersey.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2021

Pianist Benito Gonzalez, who can be as devout a follower of McCoy Tyner as Lawrence is of Tyner’s most famous employer, soloed instead like himself, deploying a bevy of cascading phrases, licks and off-kilter rhythms.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 2, 2017

Honnold, 40, is known for free soloing, or climbing without ropes, harnesses and other equipment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

Bluesy licks, long a central part of her sound, lead fluidly into bebop lines and more modern language; her soloing seems to encapsulate the history of jazz piano while looking ahead into its future.

From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2023

These are the artists whose aggressive improvisation, rhythmic thrust and fiery soloing put hard bop on the map.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2022

Somewhat like her husband, Ms. Mingus could be testy toward the group’s musicians, teasing them at times for playing too loudly or soloing too long.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 27, 2022

I went into this with a bias of what I thought about free soloing, but through interviews and research I learned there are a lot of different reasons, just like any other high-risk activity.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 2, 2022