solo

1 of 4

noun

so·​lo ˈsō-(ˌ)lō 

plural solos

1

or plural soli ˈsō-(ˌ)lē 

a

: a musical composition for a single voice or instrument with or without accompaniment

b

: the featured part of a concerto or similar work

2

: a performance in which the performer has no partner or associate : something undertaken or done alone

a student pilot's first solo

3

: any of several card games in which a player elects to play without a partner against the other players

solo

2 of 4

adverb

: without a companion : alone

fly solo

solo

3 of 4

adjective

1

: accommodating one person

a solo canoe

2

: of, relating to, or being a solo

a solo performance

a solo flight

3

: hit with no runners on base

a solo home run

solo

4 of 4

verb

soloed; soloing ˈsō-(ˌ)lō-iŋ 

-lə-wiŋ

intransitive verb

: to perform by oneself: such as

a

: to perform a musical solo

b

: to fly an airplane without one's instructor on board

transitive verb

1

: to fly (an aircraft) alone

2

: to climb (something, such as a mountain) alone

Synonyms

Adjective

• alone
• lone
• lonely
• lonesome
• single
• solitary
• unaccompanied

Examples of solo in a Sentence

Noun

She is learning to fly and she flew her first solo yesterday.

Adjective

a student pilot's first solo flight

She left the band last year and started a solo career.

He just issued his first solo album.

Verb

The guitarist solos on practically every song.

She soloed for the first time yesterday.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Angie released her debut solo album Black Diamond in 1999, becoming gold certified by the RIAA. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2025

Johanson released six solo albums through 1984’s Sweet Revenge, then changed personas, sported a pompadour and sang standards for the 1987 album Buster Poindexter. —Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2025

Adverb

Whether creating magic together (à la the Coen brothers and Billie Eilish with Finneas O'Connell) or going solo in separate races, these twosomes brought prestige to the family name. —Lydia Price, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025

Finishing solo third was Isaiah Salinda, who shot a 6-under 65 to reach 19-under. —Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025

Adjective

On the new Foxes in the Snow, a solo album that benches his longtime backing band the 400 Unit in favor of just his plaintive voice and Martin acoustic guitar, Isbell seems to realize that not every song needs to be an opus. —Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2025

In the late 1990s, Stone caught her second wind: A set of early demos reached an A&R executive at Arista Records, who signed her to record a solo debut album. —Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2025

Verb

Gradually, the music mutates into something more alien: off-key chiming of a clock, percussive piano clanking and plucking, atonal saxophone solos that sound as if an instrument is being dropped. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025

For me, that was a multitude of outdoor sports: rock climbing, trail running, skiing, biking, and soloing the Flatirons in Boulder, Colorado. —Diana Boyer, Outside Online, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian, from solo alone, from Latin solus

First Known Use

Noun

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1712, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1886, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing solo

• free solo
• solo home run

Rhymes for solo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

solo

1 of 3 noun

so·​lo ˈsō-lō 

plural solos

1

or plural soli ˈsō-lē  : a piece of music written to be performed by one voice or one instrument

2

: an action in which there is only one performer

solo

2 of 3 adverb or adjective

: without a companion : alone

solo

3 of 3 verb

soloed; soloing

-(ˌ)lō-iŋ,

-lə-wiŋ

: to perform by oneself

especially : to fly an airplane without one's instructor

Etymology

Noun

from Italian solo "a part in music performed without accompaniment," from solo (adjective) "alone," from Latin solus "alone" — related to desolate, sole entry 4, solitude