lone
lone — adjective
1. placed before a noun to describe a person or thing that is not accompanied by an
placed before a noun to describe a person or thing that is not accompanied by anyone or anything else — for example, a lone runner on a beach or a lone lamp glowing in an empty street.
A lone figure stood at the bus stop in the pouring rain.
attributive lone + noun for a solitary person
Naoko spotted a lone bicycle parked outside the closed shop.
Esteban was the lone guest at the hotel that winter evening.
A lone candle flickered on the windowsill during the blackout.
The lone tree on the hill had survived every storm for decades.
- solitary
more formal and often suggests deliberate choice, whereas lone is neutral
- single
broader than lone; single can mean 'one' in many contexts, while lone always emphasises being without company
- unaccompanied
more formal and mainly used for travel or performance contexts
- accompanied
with someone else; the opposite of being without company
- together
describes a group acting as one, versus acting alone
文法句型
lone + noun (for a solitary person or thing)
用法筆記
This is the broadest and most frequent sense of lone. It describes physical aloneness without implying any emotional state — the person or thing simply happens to be the only one present.
常見錯誤
2. used before a noun such as 'parent', 'mother', or 'father' to describe someone r
used before a noun such as 'parent', 'mother', or 'father' to describe someone raising their children with no spouse or domestic partner living in the household.
The school offers after-class activities for children of lone parents.
lone parent — a common fixed phrase
Christopher works two jobs as a lone father raising three children.
Meera's mother was a lone parent who raised her with the help of her grandparents.
A support group for lone mothers meets every Tuesday at the community centre.
文法句型
lone + parent / mother / father
用法筆記
This sense is used mainly in British English. In American English, single parent is the standard term. The word lone does not suggest anything about the parent's feelings — it only describes the family structure.
常見錯誤
3. used before a role noun like 'voice', 'critic', or 'dissenter' to indicate that
used before a role noun like 'voice', 'critic', or 'dissenter' to indicate that a single individual holds or voices a certain viewpoint while everyone else disagrees or stays quiet.
Femi was the lone voice arguing against the new policy at the meeting.
lone voice — fixed phrase for a solitary opinion
The journalist became the lone critic of the government's decision.
lone critic — the only person expressing disapproval
Ayesha cast the lone vote against the proposal.
Hugo was the lone dissenter in an otherwise unanimous committee.
- unanimous
when everyone agrees, nobody is a lone voice
文法句型
lone + voice / critic / dissenter / vote
用法筆記
This sense carries the implication of courage or isolation — the person is standing apart from the majority. It is almost always followed by a human role noun (voice, critic, dissenter) or a countable outcome (vote).
常見錯誤
4. placed before a noun to describe a person whose nature or habit is to be by them
placed before a noun to describe a person whose nature or habit is to be by themselves, often because they enjoy their own company more than the company of others.
Kian has always been a lone traveller, preferring to explore cities on his own.
lone + role noun describing a solitude-seeking person
Brian is a lone worker who finishes his best projects without interruptions.
The novelist was a lone soul who spent months writing in a remote cottage.
Lakan enjoys being a lone cyclist on long-distance routes through the countryside.
- solitary
overlaps heavily with lone in this sense but is more common for describing both people and animals
- unsociable
has a slightly negative tone (does not like others), whereas lone in this sense can be neutral or positive
- independent
broader and more positive; focuses on self-reliance rather than aloneness
- sociable
someone who enjoys being with others
- gregarious
formal word for someone who loves company and groups
文法句型
lone + role noun (traveller, hiker, worker, soul)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 describes a situation (being alone at a moment in time), while sense 4 describes a personality trait or lifestyle (choosing to be alone habitually). The noun that follows is typically a role the person has chosen (traveller, worker, resident), not a neutral identifier.