ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lone

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɫoʊn// UK //lˈəʊn// lone Archaic

adj. single or alone. You use this to describe a person or thing that is the only one in a place or situation.

adj. solitary or single; being the only one of a particular type or in a particular location. Attributive — almost exclusively precedes the noun it modifies.


SIMPLE

A lone hiker walked along the mountain path.

CONTEXTUAL

The police are searching for a lone gunman who fled the scene before backup arrived.

COMPLEX

The senator stood as the lone voice of dissent against the new legislation, refusing to yield despite intense pressure from his party colleagues.

Synonyms
Origin

Shortened from alone.

Usage

Attributive adjective — it must be placed before a noun and cannot follow a linking verb like 'is' or 'seems'.

Pitfall

The hiker was lone.The hiker was alone.'Lone' is an attributive adjective and cannot be used in the predicative position after a verb; use 'alone' or 'solitary' instead.

Idioms3 entries

© 2026 English Reference