a·lone
(ə-lōń)
[Middle English, al, all; see all, + one, one; see one.]
adjective
- Being apart from others; solitary.
- Being without anyone or anything else; only.
- Considered separately from all others of the same class.
- Being without equal; unique.
adverb
- Without others: sang alone while the choir listened.
- Without help: carried the suitcases alone.
- Exclusively; only: The burden of proof rests on the prosecution alone.
derivatives
- a·lonéness
- noun
synonyms:
alone, lonely, lonesome, solitary These adjectives describe lack of companionship. Alone emphasizes being apart from others but does not necessarily imply unhappiness: “I am never less alone, than when I am alone” (James Howell) Lonely often connotes painful awareness of being alone: “‘No doubt they are dead,’ she thought, and felt . . . sadder and . . . lonelier for the thought” (Ouida) Lonesome emphasizes a plaintive desire for companionship: “You must keep up your spirits, mother, and not be lonesome because I'm not at home” (Charles Dickens) Solitary often stresses physical isolation that is self-imposed: I thoroughly enjoyed my solitary dinner.
