# live alone

CEFR A2 · Fixed phrase

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/live-alone
Updated: 2026-08-02

## Definition

to stay in your own home without any other people like family or roommates.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He lives lonely in a small flat." but "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.

## Usage notes

- usually functions as an intransitive verb phrase; 'alone' acts as an adverb describing the state of living.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'lonely' to ensure students understand that 'live alone' describes a physical fact, whereas 'lonely' describes an unhappy emotion.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.