live alone
fixed phrase.fixed phrase. to stay in your own home without any other people like family or roommates.
fixed phrase. to reside in a dwelling without cohabitants. While 'live' is the head verb, the phrase functions as a standard collocation to describe a specific domestic status.
Many people choose to live alone after university.
After her husband passed away, she decided to live alone rather than move into a retirement home.
Sociologists have noted a significant increase in the number of urban professionals who prefer to live alone despite the rising costs of housing.
usually functions as an intransitive verb phrase; 'alone' acts as an adverb describing the state of living.
contrast with 'lonely' to ensure students understand that 'live alone' describes a physical fact, whereas 'lonely' describes an unhappy emotion.
He lives lonely in a small flat.He lives alone in a small flat.'alone' is the adverb for the physical state of being by oneself, while 'lonely' is an adjective for the feeling of sadness.
Last updated August 2, 2026