Standard Lemma guide

alone

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • 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.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nonpareil, peerless, unparalleled, alone, azygous, incomparable, matchless, only, singular, sui generis, unequaled, unique, unmatched, unrivalled

Antonyms: none provided

7

adv

Meaning 7

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.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: entirely, solely, alone, exclusively, expressly, merely, only, purely, wholly

Antonyms: none provided

10

adv

Meaning 10

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
  • Slovak: samostatne — without outside help
  • Spanish: solo — without outside help
  • Swedish: själv — without outside help
  • Ukrainian: сам (sam) — without outside help
  • Vietnamese: một mình — without outside help
  • Basque: bakarrik — only
  • Bulgarian: само (samo) — only
  • Bulgarian: единствено (edinstveno) — only
  • Catalan: sol — only
  • Catalan: només — only
  • Danish: kun — only
  • Danish: alene — only
  • Estonian: ainult — only
  • Estonian: üksi — only
  • Fijian: duadua — only
  • Finnish: yksin — only
  • Finnish: ainoastaan — only
  • Georgian: მხოლოდ (mxolod) — only
  • German: nur — only
  • German: ausschließlich — only
  • German: allein — only
  • Greek: μόνο (móno) — only
  • Hungarian: egyedül — only
  • Hungarian: csakis — only
  • Hungarian: kizárólag — only
  • Hungarian: csupán — only
  • Italian: solo — only
  • Italian: soltanto — only
  • Italian: solamente — only
  • Malayalam: മാത്രം (mātraṁ) — only
  • Norwegian: bare — only
  • Norwegian: kun — only
  • Norwegian: alene — only
  • Old English: āna — only
  • Old Tupi: anhõ — only
  • Portuguese: só — only
  • Romanian: singur — only
  • Russian: оди́н (odín) — only
  • Russian: то́лько (tólʹko) — only
  • Slovak: jedine — only
  • Slovak: výlučne — only
  • Swedish: bara — only
  • Swedish: enbart — only
  • Swedish: endast — only
  • Vietnamese: chỉ — only
  • Vietnamese: thôi — only
Real reading context

alone in complete knowledge articles