adj · adv · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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ə-lōnʹ
Received-Pronunciation:/əˈləʊn/
Northumbria:/əˈlɛːn/
Scotland:/əˈlon/
Wales:/əˈloːn/without the toe–tow merger
General-American:/əˈloʊn/
/əˈlʌon/Dublin
Hong-Kong:/aˈluŋ/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -əʊn
CMU ARPABET:AH0 L OW1 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
By oneself, solitary.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, predicative
Examples
I can't ask for help because I am alone.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: on one's own, unaccompanied
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
By oneself, solitary.
Not involved in a romantic relationship.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, predicative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: on one's own, unaccompanied, available, single, unattached, unpartnered
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Lacking peers who share one's beliefs, experiences, practices, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, predicative
Examples
Senator Craddock wants to abolish the estate tax, and she's not alone.
I always organize my Halloween candy before eating it. Am I alone in this?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: deserted, forsaken, isolated
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Apart from, or exclusive of, others.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, obsolete, predicative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: exclusive, sole
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Mere; consisting of nothing further.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, obsolete, predicative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: simple, only, very, alone, bare, just, mere
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Unique; rare; matchless.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, obsolete, predicative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
By oneself; apart from, or exclusive of, others; solo.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, predicative
Examples
She walked home alone.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: by one's lonesome, solitarily, solo, alone, by oneself, isolatedly, lonelily, on one's bill, on one's lonesome, on one's tod, singlely, singly
Antonyms: none provided
8
adv
Meaning 8
Without outside help.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, predicative
Examples
The job was too hard for me to do alone.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: by oneself, by one's lonesome, singlehandedly, alone, on one's lonesome, on one's own, single-handed, single-handedly, singly, unaidedly, unassisted, unassistedly
Antonyms: none provided
9
adv
Meaning 9
Focus adverb, typically modifying a noun and occurring immediately after it.
Not permitting anything further; exclusively.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, predicative
Examples
The president alone has the power to initiate a nuclear launch.
Focus adverb, typically modifying a noun and occurring immediately after it.
Not requiring anything further; merely.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, predicative
Examples
Oral antibiotics alone won't clear the infection.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
adv
Meaning 11
Focus adverb, typically modifying a noun and occurring immediately after it.
Used to emphasize the size or extent of something by selecting a subset.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, not-comparable, predicative
Examples
Her wardrobe is huge. She has three racks for blazers alone.
The first sentence alone sold me on the book.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
adverb
Meaning 12
without any others being included or involved
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
was entirely to blame
a school devoted entirely to the needs of problem children
he works for Mr. Smith exclusively
did it solely for money
the burden of proof rests on the prosecution alone
a privilege granted only to him
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: entirely, exclusively, solely, only
Antonyms: none provided
13
adverb
Meaning 13
without anybody else or anything else
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the child stayed home alone
the pillar stood alone, supporting nothing
he flew solo
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: solo, unaccompanied
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Indo-European *h2elnós Proto-Germanic *allaz Proto-West Germanic *all Old English eall Proto-Indo-European *ís? Proto-Indo-European *h1óynos Proto-Germanic *ainaz Proto-West Germanic *ain Old English ān Old English eall ān Middle English all oon Middle English allone English alone From Middle English allone, from earlier all oon (literally “all one”), contracted from the Old English phrase eall ān (“completely alone”), equivalent to al- (“all”) + one. Cognate with Scots alane (“alone”), Saterland Frisian alleene (“alone”), West Frisian allinne (“alone”), Dutch alleen (“alone”), Low German alleen (“alone”), German allein (“alone”), Danish alene (“alone”), Swedish allena (“alone”). More at all and one. For the different phonological development of alone and one, see the note in one.
Across languages
Translations
250 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Aramaic:
לחוד
(lḥūd)
— by oneself
Belarusian:
сам
(sam)
— by oneself
Belarusian:
адзі́н
(adzín)
— by oneself
Bulgarian:
сам
(sam)
— by oneself
Catalan:
sol
— by oneself
Cherokee:
ᎤᏩᏌ
(uwasa)
— by oneself
Czech:
sám
— by oneself
Danish:
alene
— by oneself
Dutch:
alleen
— by oneself
Egyptian:
wa:D36*Z1
(wꜥ)
— by oneself
Esperanto:
sola
— by oneself
Finnish:
yksinään
— by oneself
Finnish:
yksinäinen
— by oneself
French:
seul
— by oneself
Galician:
só
— by oneself
German:
allein
— by oneself
German:
eläi
— by oneself
Bavarian German:
alloa
— by oneself
Ancient Greek:
μόνος
(mónos)
— by oneself
Hindi:
अकेला
(akelā)
— by oneself
Hungarian:
egyedül
— by oneself
Icelandic:
einn
— by oneself
Indonesian:
sendiri
— by oneself
Indonesian:
sendirian
— by oneself
Irish:
aonraic
— by oneself
Italian:
solo
— by oneself
Italian:
da solo
— by oneself
Latin:
sōlus
— by oneself
Malayalam:
ഒറ്റക്ക്
(oṟṟakkŭ)
— by oneself
Marathi:
एकटा
(ekṭā)
— by oneself
Marathi:
एकटी
(ekṭī)
— by oneself
Marathi:
एकटे
(ekṭe)
— by oneself
Central Sierra Miwok:
kéŋ·e-t·i-
— by oneself
Occitan:
sol
— by oneself
Odia:
ଏକଲା
(Ekaḻā)
— by oneself
Old English:
ān
— by oneself
Pannonian Rusyn:
сам
(sam)
— by oneself
Polish:
sam
— by oneself
Portuguese:
sozinho
— by oneself
Portuguese:
só
— by oneself
Romanian:
singur
— by oneself
Russian:
оди́н
(odín)
— by oneself
Russian:
сам
(sam)
— by oneself
Sardinian:
solu
— by oneself
Sicilian:
sulu
— by oneself
Slovak:
sám
— by oneself
Spanish:
solo
— by oneself
Swedish:
ensam
— by oneself
Sylheti:
ꠄꠇꠟꠣ
(exola)
— by oneself
Turkish:
yalnız
— by oneself
Ottoman Turkish:
یالڭز
(yalñız)
— by oneself
Ukrainian:
сам
(sam)
— by oneself
Ukrainian:
оди́н
(odýn)
— by oneself
Urdu:
اَکیلَا
(akelā)
— by oneself
Urdu:
تنہا
(tanhā)
— by oneself
Catalan:
sol
— unique
Catalan:
únic
— unique
Finnish:
ainutlaatuinen
— unique
Galician:
único
— unique
Georgian:
მარტო
(marṭo)
— unique
German:
einzig
— unique
German:
alleinig
— unique
Greek:
μοναδικός
(monadikós)
— unique
Italian:
da solo
— unique
Italian:
solo
— unique
Portuguese:
único
— unique
Quechua:
sapa
— unique
Quechua:
paylla
— unique
Serbo-Croatian:
са̑м
— unique
Serbo-Croatian:
sȃm
— unique
Swedish:
allena
— unique
Arabic:
وَحِيد
(waḥīd)
— without company
Arabic:
مُنْفَرِد
(munfarid)
— without company
Arabic:
لحال
(laḥāl-)
— without company
Arabic:
لوحد
(lawaḥd-)
— without company
Arabic:
لحال
(laḥāl-)
— without company
Armenian:
մենակ
(menak)
— without company
Aromanian:
singur
— without company
Assamese:
অকলে
(okole)
— without company
Basque:
bakarrik
— without company
Belarusian:
сам
(sam)
— without company
Bulgarian:
сам
(sam)
— without company
Catalan:
sol
— without company
Chinese Mandarin:
單獨 /单独
(dāndú)
— without company
Chinese Mandarin:
獨自 /独自
(dúzì)
— without company
Czech:
sám
— without company
Dalmatian:
sanglo
— without company
Danish:
alene
— without company
Dutch:
alleen
— without company
Esperanto:
sole
— without company
Estonian:
üksi
— without company
Estonian:
üksinda
— without company
Fijian:
taudua
— without company
Finnish:
yksin
— without company
Finnish:
yksinään
— without company
Finnish:
yksikseen
— without company
Finnish:
itsekseen
— without company
French:
seul
— without company
Friulian:
sôl
— without company
Friulian:
bessôl
— without company
Georgian:
მარტო
(marṭo)
— without company
Georgian:
მარტოხელა
(marṭoxela)
— without company
Georgian:
ეული
(euli)
— without company
German:
allein
— without company
German:
einsam
— without company
German:
allei
— without company
Greek:
μόνος
(mónos)
— without company
Hebrew:
לְבַד
(levád)
— without company
Hindi:
अकेला
(akelā)
— without company
Hungarian:
egyedül
— without company
Hungarian:
egymagában
— without company
Icelandic:
ein
— without company
Italian:
solo
— without company
Italian:
da solo
— without company
Japanese:
一人
(hitori)
— without company
Japanese:
単独
(dandoku)
— without company
Kazakh:
жалғыз
(jalğyz)
— without company
Korean:
홀로
(hollo)
— without company
Lao:
ດຽວ
(diāu)
— without company
Latin:
solus
— without company
Latvian:
tikai
— without company
Latvian:
viens pats
— without company
Livonian:
ikšiggiņ
— without company
Luxembourgish:
eleng
— without company
Macedonian:
сам
(sam)
— without company
Malay:
bersendirian
— without company
Malayalam:
ഒറ്റയ്ക്ക്
(oṟṟaykkŭ)
— without company
Malayalam:
തനിച്ച്
(taniccŭ)
— without company
Malayalam:
തനിയെ
(taniye)
— without company
Maltese:
waħdi
— without company
Māori:
tōtahi
— without company
Norwegian Bokmål:
alene
— without company
Norwegian Nynorsk:
åleine
— without company
Occitan:
sol
— without company
Odia:
ଏକା
(ekā)
— without company
Old English:
āna
— without company
Old Prussian:
āins
— without company
Persian:
تنهایی
(tanhâyi)
— without company
Persian:
تنها
(tanhâ)
— without company
Persian:
یکه
(yekke)
— without company
Plautdietsch:
auleen
— without company
Polish:
samotnie
— without company
Portuguese:
sozinho
— without company
Romanian:
singur
— without company
Romansh:
sulet
— without company
Romansh:
persul
— without company
Romansh:
parsul
— without company
Russian:
оди́н
(odín)
— without company
Russian:
одино́кий
(odinókij)
— without company
Sanskrit:
एकाकी
(ekākī)
— without company
Sardinian:
solu
— without company
Sardinian:
sou
— without company
Scots:
alane
— without company
Serbo-Croatian:
са̑м
— without company
Serbo-Croatian:
sȃm
— without company
Sicilian:
sulu
— without company
Slovak:
sám
— without company
Slovak:
osamote
— without company
Spanish:
solo
— without company
Swedish:
ensam
— without company
Swedish:
allena
— without company
Thai:
เดียว
(diao)
— without company
Tongan:
tokotaha
— without company
Turkish:
yalnız
— without company
Turkish:
tek
— without company
Ukrainian:
оди́н
(odýn)
— without company
Ukrainian:
сам
(sam)
— without company
Urdu:
اکیلا
(akelā)
— without company
Vietnamese:
một mình
— without company
Welsh:
unig
— without company
Yiddish:
אַליין
(aleyn)
— without company
Zazaki:
teyna
— without company
Zazaki:
tenya (diq)
— without company
ǃXóõ:
ʻáa
— without company
Basque:
bakarrik
— without outside help
Belarusian:
сам
(sam)
— without outside help
Bulgarian:
сам
(sam)
— without outside help
Bulgarian:
самостоятелен
(samostojatelen)
— without outside help
Catalan:
sol
— without outside help
Catalan:
tot sol
— without outside help
Danish:
selv
— without outside help
Danish:
alene
— without outside help
Dutch:
alleen
— without outside help
Estonian:
ise
— without outside help
Finnish:
yksin
— without outside help
Finnish:
yksinään
— without outside help
Finnish:
itsekseen
— without outside help
Georgian:
დაუხმარებლად
(dauxmareblad)
— without outside help
Georgian:
მარტომ
(marṭom)
— without outside help
German:
selbst
— without outside help
Greek:
μόνος
(mónos)
— without outside help
Hungarian:
egyedül
— without outside help
Malayalam:
സ്വയം
(svayaṁ)
— without outside help
Malayalam:
ഒറ്റയ്ക്ക്
(oṟṟaykkŭ)
— without outside help
Norwegian:
alene
— without outside help
Old English:
āna
— without outside help
Polish:
sam
— without outside help
Polish:
samodzielnie
— without outside help
Portuguese:
sozinho
— without outside help
Russian:
сам
(sam)
— without outside help
Russian:
оди́н
(odín)
— without outside help
Russian:
самостоя́тельно
(samostojátelʹno)
— without outside help
Russian:
без посторо́нней по́мощи
(bez postorónnej pómošči)
— without outside help
Russian:
в одино́чку
(v odinóčku)
— without outside help