solitude

noun

sol·​i·​tude ˈsä-lə-ˌtüd 

-ˌtyüd

1

: the quality or state of being alone or remote from society : seclusion

2

: a lonely place (such as a desert)

Synonyms

• aloneness
• insulation
• isolation
• privacy
• secludedness
• seclusion
• segregation
• separateness
• sequestration
• solitariness

Choose the Right Synonym for solitude

solitude, isolation, seclusion mean the state of one who is alone.

solitude may imply a condition of being apart from all human beings or of being cut off by wish or circumstances from one's usual associates.

a few quiet hours of solitude

isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily.

the isolation of the village in winter

seclusion suggests a shutting away or keeping apart from others often connoting deliberate withdrawal from the world or retirement to a quiet life.

lived in pastoral seclusion

Examples of solitude in a Sentence

She wished to work on her novel in solitude.

He enjoyed the peace and solitude of the woods.

Recent Examples on the Web

To get an even bigger taste of solitude, plan a trip during the winter, which is considered to be the park's offseason. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2024

Bottlenose Dolphins ‘Smile’ During Playful Interactions Bottlenose dolphins are happy to engage in these many forms of play, either in solitude or with others. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

But the pamphlet argued only that virtue should be tested, not, as Eve contends, that it must be tested in solitude, away from those who might help one to exercise one’s reason well. —Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024

The novel tells the intergenerational story of the Buendía family, from the founding of the utopian town of Macondo to the sequence of dramatic events that ultimately condemns those in the fictional town to 100 years of solitude. —Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin solitudin-, solitudo, from solus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

solitude

noun

sol·​i·​tude ˈsäl-ə-ˌt(y)üd 

1

: the quality or state of being alone or far-off from society : seclusion, loneliness

2

: a lonely place (as a desert)

Etymology

Middle English solitude "the state of being alone," from early French solitude (same meaning), from Latin solitudin-, solitudo (same meaning), from solus "alone" — related to desolate, sole entry 4, solo