Synonyms of solitude

solitude

noun

ˈsä-lə-ˌtüd 

as in privacy

the state of being alone or kept apart from others

sought the kind of solitude where his thoughts would be his only companions

Synonyms & Similar Words

• privacy
• isolation
• loneliness
• aloneness
• seclusion
• segregation
• solitariness
• separateness
• insulation
• confinement
• sequestration
• retirement
• internment
• secludedness
• lonesomeness
• vacuum
• withdrawal
• quarantine
• incarceration
• ghettoization

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• society
• companionship
• company
• fellowship
• camaraderie
• comradeship

Synonym Chooser

How is the word solitude distinct from other similar nouns?

The words isolation and seclusion are common synonyms of solitude. While all three words 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

When is it sensible to use isolation instead of solitude?

The words isolation and solitude are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily.

the isolation of the village in winter

When can seclusion be used instead of solitude?

The words seclusion and solitude can be used in similar contexts, but 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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of solitude

Many people choose emotional ambiguity over solitude, believing that something is better than nothing. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

Now’s your chance to still be among the first wave of passengers enjoying the relative solitude of sailing during less conventional times of the year. —Sherri Eisenberg, AFAR Media, 10 Mar. 2025

In the early days of retirement, many people revel in newfound solitude. —Kiplinger Consumer News Service, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2025

The Myth of the Lone Genius The third myth is the archetype of the lone genius, toiling away in solitude and isolation to deliver humanity’s next great leap forward. —Mark Nevins, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025