lone
gb/lˈoʊn/ us/lˈoʊn/
B2
English
~ 9900
magányos, egyetlen
B2
1
magányos
B1
Usage pattern:
a lone [person] / a lone [noun]
A lone traveler sat quietly at the end of the platform.
Egy magányos utazó csendben ült a peron végén.
She was the lone student still working in the library at midnight.
Ő volt az egyetlen diák, aki éjfélkor még a könyvtárban dolgozott.
We saw a lone figure walking along the empty beach.
He works as a lone security guard at night.
The dog waited like a lone sentinel by the front gate.
Learner examples
A lone man walked down the empty street.
Egy magányos férfi ment végig az üres utcán.
There was a lone child in the big playground.
Egy magányos gyerek volt a nagy játszótéren.
We saw a lone person on the dark road.
She lives as a lone worker on the farm.
A lone woman sat in the quiet café.
Common mistake:
Learners often say *"I feel lone"* or *"He is lone"*. In modern English, we almost always use **alone** in these positions: *"I feel alone"*, *"He is alone"*. Use **lone** mainly **before a noun**: *"a lone man", "a lone child"*. Learners also confuse **lone** with **lonely**; **lone** is a factual description (no one else is there), while **lonely** is about feeling sad because you have no one.
Meaning
without company; by oneself
Collocations
lone traveler
|lone worker
|lone figure
|lone child
|lone man
|lone woman
Synonyms
alone (The most common word; can be used after verbs ("feel alone"), while "lone" is mainly used before nouns.)
|
solitary (Slightly more formal or literary, and can sound more emotional or serious than "lone".)
|
single (Focuses on there being just one, not on the feeling of having no company.)
Antonyms
accompanied (Emphasizes that someone has other people with them.)
|
surrounded (Stresses being with many people or things nearby, the opposite of being by oneself.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|description
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Being by yourself, with no other people with you.
Being without the company or help of other people; solitary.
B2
2
egyetlen
A2
Usage pattern:
the lone [noun] / a lone [noun]
He was the lone survivor of the plane crash.
Ő volt a repülőgép-szerencsétlenség egyetlen túlélője.
Police believe a lone gunman carried out the attack.
A rendőrség úgy véli, hogy a támadást egyetlen fegyveres hajtotta végre.
She was the lone voice opposing the new law.
As the company's lone designer, she has a lot of responsibility.
The party won just one seat, with a lone candidate elected in the north.
Learner examples
He was the lone survivor of the accident.
Ő volt a baleset egyetlen túlélője.
Police say a lone gunman shot three people.
A rendőrség szerint egyetlen fegyveres három embert lőtt meg.
She is the lone doctor in the small village.
He was the lone voice against the plan.
She is the lone parent in her group of friends.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use **only** where **lone** is more natural in news-style English, e.g. *"a lone gunman"* rather than *"an only gunman"*. **"Only"** can go in many positions in a sentence, but **"lone"** is used almost only **before a noun** to give an emphatic or dramatic tone: *"lone survivor", "lone voice"*.
Meaning
single or only one; sole
Collocations
lone survivor
|lone gunman
|lone voice
|lone parent
|lone candidate
|lone dissenter
Synonyms
sole (Very close in meaning; slightly more formal and common in legal or official style ("the sole owner").)
|
single (Neutral and very common; often just means one, while "lone" can sound more dramatic or emphatic.)
|
only (The most basic word; used more widely in many grammar patterns, whereas "lone" is mainly used before nouns for stylistic emphasis.)
Antonyms
multiple (Stresses that there is more than one person or thing, the opposite of there being only one.)
|
several (Indicates more than two or three, contrasting with the idea of exactly one.)
Themes
news
|society
|description
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Being the only person or thing of that kind in a situation; there is no other one.
Being the only one of its kind in a particular situation or group; sole.
C1
LITERARY
3
magányos
B1
Usage pattern:
a lone [building/place/tree]
A lone house stood at the end of the long, empty road.
Egy magányos ház állt a hosszú, üres út végén.
We stopped to rest under a lone tree in the desert.
Megálltunk pihenni egy magányos fa alatt a sivatagban.
The village consists of a few lone cabins scattered across the hillside.
They passed a lone farm on their way through the valley.
In the distance, a lone tower rose above the flat fields.
Learner examples
There was a lone house on the hill.
Egy magányos ház állt a dombon.
They sat under a lone tree in the big field.
A nagy mezőn egy magányos fa alatt ültek.
We saw a lone cabin near the river.
A lone building stood beside the road.
He lives in a lone farm far from town.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use **lone** here when **lonely** would describe a person’s feeling: a **"lone house"** is physically by itself; a **"lonely person"** feels sad and alone. Also, this sense of **"lone"** sounds slightly literary; in everyday speech many speakers would choose **"isolated"** or **"remote"** instead.
Meaning
remote or isolated; standing alone
Collocations
lone house
|lone cabin
|lone tree
|lone farm
|lone building
|lone hut
Synonyms
isolated (Very close in meaning; slightly more common in everyday modern speech than this sense of "lone".)
|
remote (Focuses more on distance from towns and cities; often a bit more technical or factual.)
Antonyms
clustered (Suggests many similar things or buildings are close together, the opposite of standing alone.)
|
crowded (Emphasizes that there are many people or things in the same area, not just one.)
Themes
places
|nature
|description
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Far from other people or buildings; standing alone in a place.
Located far from other people, buildings, or things; standing by itself in an empty or open place.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lone
IPA
GB/lˈoʊn/
US/lˈoʊn/
Syllables & stress
lone (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lone)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: lone
Word family
Core family
Related words
loner
noun
lonesome
adjective B1
Expressions
lone gunman
1/lˈoʊn ɡˈʌnmən/
fixed phrase
single person carrying out a shooting
A single person with a gun who attacks or kills people, without help from other attackers.
Examples
- Police say a lone gunman opened fire in the city center.
- Investigators are still trying to confirm whether the shooting was carried out by a lone gunman or by a group.
lone parent
1/lˈoʊn pˈɛɹənt/
fixed phrase
single parent raising children alone
A mother or father who lives without a partner and takes care of their child or children alone.
Examples
- As a lone parent, she has to balance work, childcare, and household duties by herself.
- The government has introduced new support programs for lone parents on low incomes.
lone ranger
1/lˈoʊn ɹˈeɪnd͡ʒɚ/
idiom
informal
person who tries to fix things alone
Someone who tries to solve problems or help people alone, often in a dramatic or showy way, instead of working as part of a group.
Examples
- We don’t need a lone ranger; we need a team player who can lead and listen.
- His lone ranger style impressed some people but frustrated his colleagues.
lone survivor
1/lˈoʊn sɚvˈaɪvɚ/
fixed phrase
only person who survived
The only person who is still alive after an accident, disaster, or attack when everyone else has died.
Examples
- He was the lone survivor of the shipwreck.
- The film tells the story of a lone survivor stranded in the mountains.
lone voice
1/lˈoʊn vˈɔɪs/
fixed phrase
single person expressing a different view
A single person who speaks out with an opinion when almost everyone else disagrees or stays quiet.
Examples
- At the meeting, she was a lone voice calling for more transparency.
- He became a lone voice defending the rights of migrants.
lone voice in the wilderness
1/lˈoʊn vˈɔɪs ˈɪn ðə wˈɪldɚnəs/
idiom
literary
ignored person speaking out alone
A person who speaks out with warnings or strong opinions, but other people ignore them or do not agree.
Examples
- For years she was a lone voice in the wilderness, warning about climate change.
- He felt like a lone voice in the wilderness as he argued against the popular policy.
lone wolf
1/lˈoʊn wˈʊlf/
idiom
Person who acts alone
A person who likes to work or act alone and not as part of a group.
Examples
- He’s always been a lone wolf who avoids big social events.
- The company used to be run by a lone wolf, but now decisions are made by a team.
lone wolf
2/lˈoʊn wˈʊlf/
idiom
person who prefers to be alone
A person who likes to act alone and not be part of a group or team.
Examples
- He’s always been a bit of a lone wolf, happier working on projects by himself.
- Despite his talent, his lone wolf attitude makes it hard for him to fit into big companies.