# solo

/ˈsoʊˌɫoʊ/ (US) · /sˈəʊləʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/solo
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. alone

adjective · CEFR A2

done by one person alone, without any help or companions.

For teachers: performed or undertaken by a single individual without accompaniment or supervision.

- After months of training, the pilot finally completed her first solo flight.
- The climber's solo ascent of the north face was hailed as a masterpiece of technical skill and mental endurance.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it describes.

### 2. by oneself

adverb · CEFR B1

doing an activity without anyone else with you.

For teachers: acting or performing alone; without a partner or companion.

- He decided to travel solo across Europe to meet new people.
- Although she enjoyed the band, she often preferred to perform solo to have more creative control over the setlist.

Usage: Typically follows the verb it modifies.

### 3. music performance

noun · CEFR A2

a piece of music or a dance performed by just one person.

For teachers: a musical composition or passage for a single voice or instrument, with or without accompaniment.

- The guitarist played a long solo while the other musicians waited.
- The concerto features a demanding violin solo that tests the performer's mastery of high-position intonation.

### 4. to do something alone

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to perform an action or a task by yourself.

For teachers: to perform a task or activity independently, often implying the absence of a team or support.

- She had to solo the entire project after her partner got sick.
- In many online games, players must decide whether to join a guild or attempt to solo the most difficult dungeons.

Usage: Commonly used in gaming and workplace contexts to describe working without a team.

### 5. to complete a task independently

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang

to finish a very difficult job or challenge all by yourself.

For teachers: to independently execute a complex or challenging operation, particularly in technical or competitive environments.

- He managed to solo the boss at the end of the game.
- The lead developer had to solo the migration process when the rest of the team was reassigned to the new product launch.

Usage: Often used in gaming (MMORPGs) or software engineering to describe high-skill individual effort.

## Examples

- She played a beautiful piano solo during the concert.
- The guitarist stepped to the front of the stage to perform a five-minute solo that brought the crowd to its feet.
- While the orchestra provides a rich harmonic foundation, the violin solo demands technical precision and emotional depth to carry the melody effectively.

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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.