stand-alone
adjective
variants
or standalone
: complete in itself : self-contained sense 1a
All three drugs had FDA's blessing as stand-alone treatments for obesity, but the agency had never approved the combination.—Kathleen Fackelmann
: such as
a
: intended, designed, or able to be used or to function alone or separately : not connected to or requiring connection to something else in order to be used or to function
Run on kerosene or diesel, stand-alone cabin heaters operate without electricity …—Skip Novak
especially
: operating or capable of operating independently of other software or hardware
Amazon, for example, wants to offer the app as a channel in its Prime Video suite, rather than a standalone app next to Prime. Doing so gives Amazon access to data such as watching habits and preferences. —Kim Khan
The market has seen a number of more capable VR headsets hit shelves, the most recent being the standalone Oculus Quest, which doesn't require a PC like the Oculus Rift. —Brittany A. Roston
b
: not being part of a larger work or series
a stand-alone film/novel
Many of these individual chapters read like stand-alone essays—nuanced, witty, and carefully polished accounts …—John Brewer
Though the printed library reference works still exist as standalone products, the integrated and expanded versions help students understand how information is related and how to do research …—James Lichtenberg
c
: belonging to but operating independently of a larger organization
Nike built the Jordan Brand into a massive standalone business with $3.1 billion in wholesale revenue …—Kurt Badenhausen
d
: existing as a separate structure : not connected to or contained within another structure
The gallery is in a standalone building on the property on Portland Street.—KiMi Robinson
According to the Chapter 11 filing, the closures will affect malls and standalone stores across the country.—Áine Cain
stand-alone
noun
or standalone
plural stand-alones or standalones
But now it is all paying off. His European growth is remarkable, both in department stores and standalones.
—Jim Cramer
This book is a companion to last year's Five Midnights, though it can be read as a standalone.
—Dahlia Adler
The system operates … as a standalone or within any graphics application, and supports most popular file formats.
—Industry Week
Cite this Entry
“Stand-alone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stand-alone. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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