alone 1 of 2

adverb

Definition of alonenext
1
as in independently
without aid or support completely new to the big city, she nevertheless managed to find her way home alone

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in only
for nothing other than would willingly play professional baseball for the sheer enjoyment alone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

alone

2 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈlōn How to pronounce alone (audio)
1
as in lonely
not being in the company of others no one realized the boy was alone in his room so they all left for the movies without him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in one
being the one or ones of a class with no other members he is alone among the actors of his generation in his exceptional ability to play both comedic and serious parts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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an alone time
a solitary time
a private time
a secluded time
a personal time
an alone group
a solitary group
an individual group
a separated group
a singular group
a separate group
an alone entity
a solo entity
a complete entity
a sole entity
an unique entity
a single entity
an alone system
a solo system
a solitary system
an individual system
an independent system
a separate system
an alone product
a single product
a complete product
a separate product
an independent product
a whole product

Synonym Chooser

How is the word alone distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of alone are desolate, forlorn, lonely, lonesome, lone, and solitary. While all these words mean "isolated from others," alone stresses the objective fact of being by oneself with slighter notion of emotional involvement than most of the remaining terms.

everyone needs to be alone sometimes

When can desolate be used instead of alone?

The meanings of desolate and alone largely overlap; however, desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

When is forlorn a more appropriate choice than alone?

In some situations, the words forlorn and alone are roughly equivalent. However, forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

How does the word lone relate to other synonyms for alone?

Lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

How do lonely and solitary relate to one another, in the sense of alone?

Lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

In what contexts can lonesome take the place of alone?

The words lonesome and alone can be used in similar contexts, but lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

When could solitary be used to replace alone?

While in some cases nearly identical to alone, solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course, but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

glorying in the calm of her solitary life
left solitary by the death of his wife

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alone
Adverb
However, the court at the time opted to leave the federal district boundaries alone. —Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025 One worry is that even if Trump’s tariffs end up being less harsh than feared, all the uncertainty created by them alone could cause U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending, which would hurt an economy that had been running at a solid pace to close last year. —Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Doomguy, the only marine with enough experience to deal with the demons, is sent in alone and makes his way to Hell, again. —Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 28 Mar. 2025 In the second episode of Season 3, farmers John, Matt (no relation), Jay and Colton spent 24 hours alone with each of their first picks. —Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alone
  1. only
  2. lonely
  3. one
  4. separately
  5. solely
  6. lone
  7. just
  8. single
Adverb
  • Wilken’s approval came only after initially expressing reservations about aspects of the settlement, leading the parties to tweak language.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The magazine will be offered only in Italian for the rest of the year, but an international edition in English language is planned to debut next year.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of only
Adjective
  • Being lonely is terrible for a person’s mental health.
    — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The results were conclusive: More than two-thirds (69%) of seniors felt lonely a majority of the time (50% of the time or more) before moving into a senior living community.
    — Sara Zeff Geber, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • Drinkwater didn't make one appearance in a Chelsea shirt last season, whilst Bakayoko spent the season in Italy on loan at AC Milan.
    — SI.com, SI.com, 3 Aug. 2019
  • Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive.
    — Johannes Himmelreich, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Mar. 2018
Definition of one
Adverb
  • That corresponded to an assessment separately made by Airwars.
    — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Calcium should be taken separately from this medication.
    — Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of separately
Adverb
  • Pro Football Focus graded him 47th of 75 tight ends solely as a run blocker last season; Hill was ranked last.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Specialized technology providers focused solely on the retail media space will emerge with solutions that address the unique challenges of product listing ads and sponsored search within retail environments.
    — Kiri Masters, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of solely
Adjective
  • Hansen, who plays forward for the Cougars, had a hat trick in the Class 3A state semifinal and the lone goal in a 1-0 championship game victory over Lake Highland Prep.
    — Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Also of note: Apple TV+’s Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller film The Gorge, its lone representative on the top ten, fell to No. 8 from No. 3 last week.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of lone
Adverb
  • While scoring just three goals all season, there was none bigger than her goal to beat King’s Academy 1-0 in the regional championship.
    — Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The synthetic, dual-fiber bristles (a mixture of fine and thick in density) pick up just the right amount of product to deliver streak-free full application without absorbing too much product or depositing it unevenly onto skin.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of just
Adjective
  • Some are able to do this while only raising a single round of capital.
    — Alex Lazarow, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Secured to the back panel via three sliding screws and a single (knurled) fixing screw, each of the drive bays is individually removable.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of single

Phrases Containing alone

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aloft
alone
aloneness
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Cite this Entry

“Alone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alone. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

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