# solitude

/ˈsɑɫəˌtud/ (US) · /sˈɒlɪtjˌuːd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/solitude
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. being alone by choice

noun · CEFR B2

the state of being alone, especially when you choose it because you want to be quiet or peaceful.

For teachers: the state of being alone or solitary; often implies a voluntary and desirable condition of peaceful isolation.

- After a busy week at work, she enjoyed the solitude of her garden.
- The writer retreated to a remote cabin in the mountains, seeking the solitude necessary to finish her final chapters without interruption.

### 2. a lonely place

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

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

For teachers: a lonely, unfrequented, or deserted place. Often used in literary contexts to describe vast, empty landscapes.

- The explorer wandered through the vast solitudes of the Arctic.
- The poem describes the traveler's journey through the deep solitudes of the desert, where no bird sang and no water flowed.

## Examples

- She enjoys the solitude of her morning walks.
- After a busy week at the office, he spent the weekend in solitude at a remote cabin to recharge.
- The writer found that the absolute solitude of the desert provided the necessary mental space to complete her most ambitious novel without distraction.

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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.