# solitary

/ˈsɑɫəˌtɛɹi/ (US) · /sˈɒlɪtəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/solitary
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. being alone

adjective · CEFR B2

spending a lot of time alone, often because you enjoy it or choose it.

For teachers: characterised by a preference for or a state of being alone; often used to describe personality types or lifestyle choices.

- He was a solitary man who enjoyed long walks in the woods by himself.
- Despite her success in the city, she remained a solitary figure, rarely attending social functions and preferring the quiet of her own study.

### 2. done alone

adjective · CEFR B2

an activity that you do by yourself without other people.

For teachers: performed, passed, or endured without companions.

- Reading is usually a solitary activity that requires peace and quiet.
- The researcher spent three solitary months in the Arctic, documenting the migration patterns of local wildlife without any human contact.

### 3. single or only one

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

the only one of something in a particular place.

For teachers: being the sole example or individual of a type in a given context; single.

- A solitary light was burning in the window of the old house.
- The only evidence of the crime was a solitary footprint left in the damp soil near the garden gate.

### 4. remote or lonely place

adjective · CEFR B2 · Literary

a place that is far away from where people live and is very quiet.

For teachers: remote from settlements or society; unfrequented and secluded.

- They found a solitary beach where they could relax away from the tourists.
- The cabin sat in a solitary valley, miles from the nearest paved road or telephone line.

### 5. not in a group

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

living or growing alone rather than in a group or colony.

For teachers: not associated with others of the same kind; living or growing in isolation rather than in colonies or social groups.

- Tigers are solitary hunters, unlike lions which live in groups.
- The botanist identified a solitary flower growing from the rock face, noting that this species rarely clusters with others.

### 6. a person who lives alone

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

someone who lives alone and avoids other people.

For teachers: a person who lives in solitude, such as a hermit or recluse.

- The old solitary lived in a small hut on the edge of the cliff.
- Historical records suggest the man was a religious solitary who had taken a vow of silence and withdrawn from the village entirely.

### 7. prison isolation

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a punishment in prison where a person is kept alone in a cell.

For teachers: a shortened form of 'solitary confinement'; the isolation of a prisoner in a separate cell as a punishment.

- The prisoner was put in solitary for three days after the fight.
- The warden threatened the inmates with a week in solitary if they refused to comply with the new security protocols.

Usage: Usually used with the verb 'in'.

## Examples

- He enjoys taking solitary walks in the woods.
- The prisoner was kept in solitary confinement for several weeks to prevent him from talking to others.
- A solitary figure stood at the edge of the pier, silhouetted against the setting sun and seemingly indifferent to the bustling activity of the harbor behind him.

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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.