solitary 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsä-lə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce solitary (audio)
Definition of solitarynext
1
as in lone
being the one or ones of a class with no other members a solitary example of truth-stretching is hardly grounds for branding the man a congenital liar

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lonely
not being in the company of others a solitary sailboat was the only object on the horizon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

solitary

2 of 2

noun

as in hermit
a person who lives away from others weary of European civilization, the painter Paul Gauguin famously abandoned France to become a solitary in the South Seas

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word solitary distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of solitary are alone, desolate, forlorn, lonely, lonesome, and lone. While all these words mean "isolated from others," 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

When can alone be used instead of solitary?

The meanings of alone and solitary largely overlap; however, 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

In what contexts can desolate take the place of solitary?

The words desolate and solitary can be used in similar contexts, but desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

When is it sensible to use forlorn instead of solitary?

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

a forlorn lost child

How does the word lone relate to other synonyms for solitary?

Lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

How do lonely and solitary relate to one another?

Lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

When is lonesome a more appropriate choice than solitary?

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

an only child often leads a lonesome life

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 solitary
Adjective
Former inmates such as Jack L. Morris (a Chicano man who served 40 years in prison, with more than 30 spent in solitary confinement) and Michael Saavedra (who served close to 20 years, many of them in solitary) share their painful experiences on camera. —Manuel Betancourt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2025 Last fall, Cromwell Valley Park’s critter cam captured a solitary beaver about 1000 yards downstream from that bridge, starting a new dam. —Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
Former convicts also said that men in solitary had to put away their beds from waking call to sleep time, forcing them to stand or sit for most of the day. —Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 The changes allow inmates in solitary to participate in additional rehabilitative programming and shave time off their isolation by earning credits. —Lindsey Holden, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024 See All Example Sentences for solitary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for solitary
  1. lone
  2. lonely
  3. hermit
  4. only
  5. single
  6. one
  7. solo
  8. special
Adjective
  • Moore is the lone woman in a boys’ club of celebrated actors, including Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Stanley Tucci, and Kevin Spacey.
    — Katie Rife, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Atlanta's lone run came in the seventh inning when Luke Williams hit a solo home run to left field.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of lone
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
Definition of lonely
Noun
  • George lives something of a hermit’s life in Hudson.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
  • The monastery is also home to pink-robe-wearing novice monks, who train at Taung Kalat, and yetis, or hermit monks, who glide in their peaked caps in quiet contemplation across the precariously balanced complex.
    — Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2025
Definition of hermit
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
Definition of only
Adjective
  • While the county isn’t seeing immediate growth, Endicott said that there’s 1,752 residential building permits for single family, duplex, triplex and four-plex developments.
    — Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
  • One option for the single family homes will start in the high $300,000s and another will start in the low $400,000s.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of single
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
Definition of one
Adjective
  • In the late 1990s, Stone caught her second wind: A set of early demos reached an A&R executive at Arista Records, who signed her to record a solo debut album.
    — Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Ryan posed on the carpet for solo photos and alongside designer Michael Kors, 65.
    — Rachel Flynn, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of solo
Adjective
  • What makes the possibility of Ovechkin breaking Gretzky’s goal record this season so special is that Ovechkin would be doing it at the same seasonal rate as Gretzky did.
    — Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The special focused on Mal and King Ben (Mitchell Hope)’s nuptials.
    — Charna Flam, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025
Definition of special

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Cite this Entry

“Solitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solitary. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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