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solitary

/ˈsɒlɪteri/  ·  say it: SAH·luh·ter·ee

single; done or existing alone

In Describing & Comparing

In more detail

1. (adjective) alone, without others

2. (adjective) done by oneself

3. (noun) a person who lives alone and avoids other people

Examples

• 1. The solitary eagle flew high above the mountains.
• 2. She enjoys solitary walks in the forest.
• 3. He became a solitary after leaving the city.

How to use solitary

As an adjective, solitary emphasizes being alone by circumstance or choice, often with a sense of isolation or quietude rather than mere absence of company. It carries more weight and formality than 'alone,' and frequently appears in literary or serious contexts. As a noun, it refers to a person who deliberately chooses isolation, particularly in religious or ascetic traditions.

Common phrases

• solitary confinement
• solitary figure
• solitary existence
• solitary traveler
• solitary pursuit

Synonyms

alone · isolated · lone · unaccompanied · hermitic

Opposites

accompanied · social · gregarious

Word family

solitariness (noun) · solitarily (adverb) · solitary (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use 'solitary' interchangeably with 'lonely' or 'solitude,' but 'solitary' is more objective—describing the state of being alone—whereas 'lonely' is emotional, implying unhappiness at being alone.

Nearby in Describing & Comparing

sparse, dense, myriad, uniform, erratic, consistent

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained