Synonym Chooser

How is the word lone distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of lone are alone, desolate, forlorn, lonely, lonesome, and solitary. While all these words mean "isolated from others," lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

When would alone be a good substitute for lone?

The words alone and lone can be used in similar contexts, but 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 is it sensible to use desolate instead of lone?

The meanings of desolate and lone 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 lone?

Although the words forlorn and lone have much in common, forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

How are the words lonely and solitary related as synonyms of lone?

Lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

When might lonesome be a better fit than lone?

The synonyms lonesome and lone are sometimes interchangeable, but lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

When can solitary be used instead of lone?

In some situations, the words solitary and lone are roughly equivalent. However, 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 lone The lone victory was 69-62 against last-place Air Force. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2025 Yet even these lone voices failed to call out Trump for betraying Zelensky and adopting the talking points of a brutal regime that invaded Ukraine with no provocation three years ago. Mordechai Gordon, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2025 The portfolio's lone staples position is Costco , which kept pace with the sector with a near 5% gain. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025 Doncic’s father was seen in the stands covering his face after Doncic’s lone 3-pointer. Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lone
Adjective
  • His only real competition for the honor is Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, but even then, Gilgeous-Alexander was a clear frontrunner at that point.
    Nick Crain, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The Rays aren’t definitively the only hold-up, though.
    Evan Drellich, The Athletic, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Likewise, small business optimism saw its single largest one-month gain ever recorded, a 41-point jump.
    CBS News, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2025
  • However, the website was shut down the following day by Shopify, which hosts the brand’s e-commerce website, after the rapper reduced his online shop to a single T-shirt with a Nazi swastika displayed on the front.
    Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2025
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
Adjective
  • The path to ethical AI is not a solitary journey for individual companies but a shared effort involving stakeholders from all walks of life.
    Madhava Rao Kunchala, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • The multi-month grind of long, solitary hours and deadlines is also incompatible with the deferred pay model that many crew members working on 20-30-day indie shoots accept.
    Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The dictator surrounds himself with loyalists whose sole purpose is to serve the dictator, while the citizens receive poor services, if at all, because of their incompetence.
    Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Neither the 1973 debut New York Dolls nor its 1974 follow-up Too Much Too Soon — produced by Shadow Morton, whose sole major credit was the legendary girl group the Shangri-Las — cracked the Top 100, great albums though both are now thought to be.
    Robert Christgau, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Another remembers her lonely childhood with a single mother and resolved it with a partner from a large family and three children.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 5 Mar. 2025
  • This distinction is important: your parent might live alone without feeling isolated, or conversely, feel lonely despite being surrounded by people.
    Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The Raiders view him as a high-level backup and core special teams player, according to a league source.
    Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Classic cars are not often driven, Leno said, instead used for special occasions and car shows.
    Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 10 Mar. 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
  • Ryan posed on the carpet for solo photos and alongside designer Michael Kors, 65.
    Rachel Flynn, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lone. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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