Meaning & use
solitary
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Being or happening alone, without other people around.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: a solitary walk; it is neutral and not necessarily sad.
Patterns
- a solitary person
- a solitary pursuit
He enjoyed long solitary walks along the beach.
A solitary figure stood on the hill.
Writing is often a solitary job.
adjectivebefore a noun
Only one; single, used to stress that there is not even a second.
Grammar: Used for emphasis, often in questions or negatives: not a solitary cloud.
Patterns
- a solitary example
- not a solitary clue
There was not a solitary car on the road.
She could not find a solitary mistake in the report.
A solitary candle lit the room.
noununcountableinformal
Informal short form for solitary confinement, being held alone in a prison cell.
Grammar: Often with in: in solitary.
Patterns
- in solitary
- put someone in solitary
The prisoner spent a month in solitary.
He was moved to solitary after the fight.
Guards put her in solitary for her own safety.
Word forms
| comparative | more solitary |
|---|---|
| superlative | most solitary |
Common combinations
- solitary confinement
- The inmate was held in solitary confinement.
- solitary life
- The hermit lived a solitary life in the hills.
- solitary figure
- A solitary figure waited at the station.
- solitary walk
- I took a solitary walk to clear my head.
- solitary animal
- Leopards are solitary animals.
- not a solitary
- Not a solitary person turned up.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lonely
- Lonely means feeling sad about being alone, while solitary just describes being alone, often by choice.
- isolated
- Isolated suggests being cut off or far from others, often by circumstance.
- reclusive
- Reclusive describes a person who avoids others, while solitary can describe a single occasion.
- lone
- Lone is very close but is used mainly before a noun, as in a lone traveler.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: solitary or solidarity?
solitary vs solidarity
Solidarity means unity and shared support among a group, the opposite of being alone.
Practice
She enjoys hiking because it is a quiet, ___ activity she can do at her own pace.
Choose one answer.
Solitary describes something done alone, here by choice. Gloomy is tempting, but it means sad or dark and is not implied by being alone.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “solitary”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.