Solitary vs. Single — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 4, 2024
Solitary focuses on the state of being alone, often by choice or circumstance, whereas single emphasizes a numerical count of one or not being in a relationship.
Difference Between Solitary and Single
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Solitary often conveys a sense of isolation or seclusion, either physically or emotionally. It can describe someone who prefers being alone or situations where someone is alone. On the other hand, single primarily refers to a numerical status, indicating that only one person, item, or unit is involved or that someone is not in a romantic relationship.
While solitary can suggest a deeper, sometimes negative, state of aloneness, single can carry a neutral or positive connotation, especially when referring to relationship status, suggesting independence or availability. Solitary may also imply a chosen or enforced state of being without companionship, whereas single might simply denote the absence of a partner without suggesting loneliness.
In terms of usage, solitary is often used to describe situations or lifestyles, as in living a solitary life, or feelings, such as feeling solitary in a crowd. Single, however, is frequently used to specify quantity, as in a single item, or marital status, as in single and ready to mingle.
Solitary experiences or preferences can reflect a deeper personality trait or response to external conditions, highlighting an individual's comfort with being alone. In contrast, being single is more often a temporary state that can change with new relationships or circumstances.
The term solitary can also be applied to animals or objects, emphasizing their isolation or uniqueness, respectively. Single, while it could similarly describe an object as being alone, more commonly refers to its singular existence without implying isolation.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Describes being alone, often emphasizing isolation or seclusion.
Indicates a count of one or not being in a relationship.
Connotation
Can be negative, suggesting loneliness or chosen seclusion.
Neutral or positive, suggesting independence or availability.
Usage Context
Emotional or physical state, lifestyle, feelings.
Quantity, marital status.
Relationship Implication
May not directly relate to romantic status.
Directly refers to romantic status or numerical count.
Temporality
Can suggest a permanent or long-term state.
Often seen as a temporary or changeable state.
Compare with Definitions
Solitary
Preferring to be alone.
She took a solitary walk to clear her mind.
Single
One alone.
A single light bulb illuminated the room.
Solitary
The only one of its kind.
A solitary house stood on the hill.
Single
Unmarried.
The form asked if she was married, single, or divorced.
Solitary
Confined alone, as in punishment.
The prisoner was kept in solitary confinement.
Single
Distinct from others.
Every single piece of artwork was unique.
Solitary
Secluded from others.
He lived a solitary life in the countryside.
Single
Not involved in a romantic relationship.
He's been single for a few years now.
Solitary
Sole, single.
A solitary example remains of this species.
Single
Made for one person.
She booked a single room for her vacation.
Solitary
Existing, living, or going without others; alone
A solitary traveler.
Single
Only one; not one of several
The kingdom was ruled over by a single family
A single red rose
Solitary
Happening, done, or made alone
A solitary evening.
Solitary pursuits such as reading and sewing.
Single
Consisting of one part
The studio was a single large room
Solitary
Remote from civilization; secluded
A solitary retreat.
Single
Free from duplicity or deceit; ingenuous
A pure and single heart
Solitary
(Zoology) Living alone or in pairs only
Solitary wasps.
Solitary sparrows.
Single
An individual person or thing rather than part of a pair or a group.
Solitary
Single and set apart from others
A solitary instance of cowardice.
Single
A hit for one run.
Solitary
A person who lives alone; a recluse.
Single
(especially in tennis and badminton) a game or competition for individual players, not pairs or teams.
Solitary
Solitary confinement.
Single
A system of change-ringing in which one pair of bells changes places at each round.
Solitary
(countable) One who lives alone, or in solitude; an anchorite, hermit or recluse.
Single
Choose someone or something from a group for special treatment
One newspaper was singled out for criticism
Solitary
(uncountable) Solitary confinement.
The prisoners who started the riot were moved to solitary.
Single
Thin out (seedlings or saplings)
Hand hoes are used for singling roots
Solitary
(uncountable) The state of being solitary; solitude
Single
Reduce (a railway track) to a single line
The South Western line was singled west of Salisbury
Solitary
Living or being by oneself; alone; having no companion present
Single
Hit a single
Cohen singled to centre
Solitary
Performed, passed, or endured alone
A solitary journey
A solitary life
Single
Not accompanied by another or others; solitary.
Solitary
Not much visited or frequented; remote from society
A solitary residence or place
Single
Consisting of one part, aspect, or section
A single thickness.
A single serving.
Solitary
Not inhabited or occupied; without signs of inhabitants or occupation; desolate; deserted
Single
Having the same application for all; uniform
A single moral code for all.
Solitary
Gloomy; dismal, because of not being inhabited.
Single
Consisting of one in number
She had but a single thought, which was to escape.
Solitary
Single; individual; sole.
A solitary example
Single
Not divided; unbroken
A single slab of ice.
Solitary
(botany) Not associated with others of the same kind.
Single
Separate from others; individual and distinct
Every single child will receive a gift.
Solitary
Living or being by one's self; having no companion present; being without associates; single; alone; lonely.
Those rare and solitary, these in flocks.
Hie home unto my chamber,Where thou shalt find me, sad and solitary.
Single
Having individual opponents; involving two individuals only
Single combat.
Solitary
Performed, passed, or endured alone; as, a solitary journey; a solitary life.
Satan . . . explores his solitary flight.
Single
Honest; undisguised
A single adoration.
Solitary
Not much visited or frequented; remote from society; retired; lonely; as, a solitary residence or place.
Single
Wholly attentive
You must judge the contest with a single eye.
Solitary
Not inhabited or occupied; without signs of inhabitants or occupation; desolate; deserted; silent; still; hence, gloomy; dismal; as, the solitary desert.
How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people.
Let that night be solitary; let no joyful voice come therein.
Single
Designed to accommodate one person or thing
A single bed.
Solitary
Single; individual; sole; as, a solitary instance of vengeance; a solitary example.
Single
Not married or involved in a romantic relationship
Once he knew she was single, he asked her to go out.
Solitary
Not associated with others of the same kind.
Single
Relating to a state of being unmarried or uninvolved in a romantic relationship
Enjoys the single life.
Solitary
One who lives alone, or in solitude; an anchoret; a hermit; a recluse.
Single
(Botany) Having only one rank or row of petals
A single flower.
Solitary
Confinement of a prisoner in isolation from other prisoners;
He was held in solitary
Single
One that is separate and individual.
Solitary
One who lives in solitude
Single
Something capable of carrying, moving, or holding one person or thing at a time, as a bed or a hotel room.
Solitary
Characterized by or preferring solitude in mode of life;
The eremitic element in the life of a religious colony
A lone wolf
A man of a solitary disposition
Single
A person who is not married or involved in a romantic relationship.
Solitary
Of plants and animals; not growing or living in groups or colonies;
Solitary bees
Single
Singles Such persons considered as a group
A bar for singles.
Solitary
Lacking companions or companionship;
He was alone when we met him
She is alone much of the time
The lone skier on the mountain
A lonely fisherman stood on a tuft of gravel
A lonely soul
A solitary traveler
Single
A one-dollar bill.
Solitary
Enjoyed or performed alone;
A lonely existence
His lonely room
Took a solitary walk
Enjoyed her solitary dinner
Solitary pursuits such as reading
Single
A phonograph record, especially a forty-five, having one song on each side.
Solitary
Being the only one; single and isolated from others;
The lone doctor in the entire county
A lonesome pine
An only child
The sole heir
The sole example
A solitary instance of cowardice
A solitary speck in the sky
Single
A song on one of these sides.
Solitary
Separated from or unfrequented by others; remote or secluded;
A lonely crossroads
A solitary retreat
A trail leading to an unfrequented lake
Single
A song, often from a full-length album or compact disc, that is released for airplay.
Single
(Baseball) A hit enabling the batter to reach first base. Also called one-bagger, one-base hit.
Single
A hit for one run in cricket.
Single
A golf match between two players.
Single
Often singles A tennis or badminton match between two players.
Single
Singles A competition in which individuals compete against each other, as in rowing or figure skating.
Single
To cause (a base runner) to score or advance by hitting a single
Singled him to second.
Single
To cause the scoring of (a run) by hitting a single.
Single
To hit a single.
Single
Not accompanied by anything else; one in number.
Can you give me a single reason not to leave right now?
The vase contained a single long-stemmed rose.
Single
Not divided in parts.
The potatoes left the spoon and landed in a single big lump on the plate.
Single
Designed for the use of only one.
A single room
Single
Performed by one person, or one on each side.
A single combat
Single
Not married, and (in modern times) not dating or without a significant other.
Forms often ask if a person is single, married, divorced, or widowed. In this context, a person who is dating someone but who has never married puts "single".
Josh put down that he was a single male on the dating website.
Single
(botany) Having only one rank or row of petals.
Single
(obsolete) Simple and honest; sincere, without deceit.
Single
Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.
Single
(obsolete) Simple; foolish; weak; silly.
Single
(music) A 45 RPM vinyl record with one song on side A and one on side B.
Single
(music) A popular song released and sold (on any format) nominally on its own though usually having at least one extra track.
The Offspring released four singles from their most recent album.
Single
One who is not married or does not have a romantic partner.
He went to the party, hoping to meet some friendly singles there.
Single
(cricket) A score of one run.
Single
(baseball) A hit in baseball where the batter advances to first base.
Single
(dominoes) A tile that has a different value (i.e. number of pips) at each end.
Single
A bill valued at $1.
I don't have any singles, so you'll have to make change.
Single
(UK) A one-way ticket.
Single
(Canadian football) A score of one point, awarded when a kicked ball is dead within the non-kicking team's end zone or has exited that end zone.
Single
A game with one player on each side, as in tennis.
Single
One of the reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give them firmness.
Single
A handful of gleaned grain.
Single
A floating-point number having half the precision of a double-precision value.
Single
(film) A shot of only one character.
Single
A single cigarette.
Single
Synonym of single-driver.
Single
To identify or select one member of a group from the others; generally used with out, either to single out or to single (something) out.
Eddie singled out his favorite marble from the bag.
Yvonne always wondered why Ernest had singled her out of the group of giggling girls she hung around with.
Single
(baseball) To get a hit that advances the batter exactly one base.
Pedro singled in the bottom of the eighth inning, which, if converted to a run, would put the team back into contention.
Single
(agriculture) To thin out.
Single
(of a horse) To take the irregular gait called singlefoot.
Single
To sequester; to withdraw; to retire.
Single
To take alone, or one by one; to single out.
Single
(transitive) To reduce (a railway) to single track.
Single
One only, as distinguished from more than one; consisting of one alone; individual; separate; as, a single star.
No single man is born with a right of controlling the opinions of all the rest.
Single
Alone; having no companion.
Who single hast maintained,Against revolted multitudes, the causeOf truth.
Single
Hence, unmarried; as, a single man or woman.
Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness.
Single chose to live, and shunned to wed.
Single
Not doubled, twisted together, or combined with others; as, a single thread; a single strand of a rope.
Single
Performed by one person, or one on each side; as, a single combat.
These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant, . . . Who now defles thee thrice ti single fight.
Single
Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.
Simple ideas are opposed to complex, and single to compound.
Single
Not deceitful or artful; honest; sincere.
I speak it with a single heart.
Single
Simple; not wise; weak; silly.
He utters such single matter in so infantly a voice.
Single
To sequester; to withdraw; to retire.
An agent singling itself from consorts.
Single
To take alone, or one by one.
Men . . . commendable when they are singled.
Single
To take the irrregular gait called single-foot; - said of a horse. See Single-foot.
Many very fleet horses, when overdriven, adopt a disagreeable gait, which seems to be a cross between a pace and a trot, in which the two legs of one side are raised almost but not quite, simultaneously. Such horses are said to single, or to be single-footed.
Single
A unit; one; as, to score a single.
Single
The reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give them firmness.
Single
A handful of gleaned grain.
Single
A game with but one player on each side; - usually in the plural.
Single
A hit by a batter which enables him to reach first base only.
Single
A base hit on which the batter stops safely at first base
Single
The smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number;
He has the one but will need a two and three to go with it
They had lunch at one
Single
Hit a one-base hit
Single
Existing alone or consisting of one entity or part or aspect or individual;
Upon the hill stood a single tower
Had but a single thought which was to escape
A single survivor
A single serving
A single lens
A single thickness
Single
Used of flowers having usually only one row or whorl of petals;
Single chrysanthemums resemble daisies and may have more than one row of petals
Single
Characteristic of or meant for a single person or thing;
An individual serving
Separate rooms
Single occupancy
A single bed
Single
Having uniform application;
A single legal code for all
Single
Not divided among or brought to bear on more than one object or objective;
Judging a contest with a single eye
A single devotion to duty
Undivided affection
Gained their exclusive attention
Single
Involved two individuals;
Single combat
Single
Individual and distinct;
Pegged down each separate branch to the earth
A gift for every single child
Common Curiosities
What does solitary mean?
Solitary refers to the state of being alone, often highlighting isolation or seclusion.
Can solitary have positive connotations?
Yes, solitary can be positive for those who value privacy and independence.
What does single mean?
Single can mean not in a romantic relationship or denote a count of one.
Can someone be both solitary and single?
Yes, someone can be both, enjoying solitude and not being in a relationship.
How do solitary and single relate to relationship status?
Solitary doesn't directly relate to romantic relationships, whereas single specifically denotes not being in one.
Is being single always a choice?
Not always; it can be by circumstance or a temporary state.
Can single refer to non-romantic situations?
Yes, it can also refer to the quantity of one in non-romantic contexts.
Can a place be described as solitary?
Yes, a place can be described as solitary if it's secluded or isolated.
Is it possible to be solitary in a crowd?
Yes, one can feel solitary or isolated even when surrounded by people.
How does society view solitary and single people?
Views vary widely, with some cultures valuing independence and others emphasizing social connections.
Does solitary imply a negative state?
It can, but it also might be a positive state for those who prefer solitude.
Do solitary and single have the same root?
No, they come from different linguistic roots with solitary relating to solitude and single to being one.
Can animals be described as solitary?
Yes, animals that prefer to live or hunt alone are described as solitary.
Can the term single be used in legal documents?
Yes, it's often used to indicate marital status.
Is being single a modern trend?
Trends towards being single vary with societal changes, but it's not solely a modern phenomenon.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
