Word
lone
US/ˈɫoʊn/
UK/lˈəʊn/
Definitions
01solitary or single
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. being the only person or thing in a place or situation.
adj. being the sole individual or item present in a particular location or context; strictly attributive.
“A lone figure was walking along the beach as the sun began to set.”
“The lone survivor of the shipwreck was discovered by a passing fishing vessel three days after the storm had subsided.”
Usage
This adjective almost always comes before the noun it describes; you rarely say 'the man was lone'.
Antonyms
02isolated or remote
B2 · Upper Intermediate Literary
adj. standing apart from others or located in a quiet, empty place.
adj. situated apart from others of its kind; geographically or socially isolated.
“We spotted a lone farmhouse standing on the edge of the high cliffs.”
“A lone pine tree stood against the horizon, serving as a natural landmark for hikers navigating the barren moorland.”
03political district
C1 · Advanced Law Technical · Formal
adj. describing a large area that is represented by only one person in government.
adj. referring to an administrative or electoral division that has not been partitioned into multiple sub-districts.
“He was elected as the representative for the lone district of the province.”
“The legislative proposal aimed to reapportion the lone congressional district due to the significant population growth recorded in the latest census.”
Teaching tip
This sense is highly specific to political administration, particularly in the Philippines and certain US jurisdictions.
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“She is usually a lone voice, but the issue is back in the headlines this season.” “A lone security guard goes into the hall to get coffee from the vending machine.” Etymology
Shortened from alone.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/lone