Lone means single, solitary, or the only one of its kind in a particular place or situation. A lone tree standing in the middle of an empty field catches your eye because there's nothing else around it. A lone wolf travels and hunts without a pack. When you're the lone person who remembered to bring an umbrella on a rainy field trip, you're the only one who stayed dry.

The word carries a sense of isolation or being set apart. A lone survivor of a shipwreck is the only person who made it to safety. A lone voice speaking up in a meeting means no one else is supporting that position. Sometimes being lone suggests independence and self-reliance, like a lone pioneer exploring uncharted territory. Other times it emphasizes vulnerability or loneliness, like a lone student eating lunch with no one to talk to.

You might hear the phrase lone wolf to describe someone who prefers working or spending time alone rather than in groups. Don't confuse lone with loan, which means something borrowed. They sound identical but mean completely different things.