1
: one that avoids others: such as
a
: a person who is often alone or likes to be alone : someone who usually avoids the company of others
He is a moody loner who doesn't become chummy with anyone.—
Sam Moses
Sam MosesMany rowers will agree that sculling is a sport for loners who relish the more quixotic elements of the sport.—D. C. Churbuck
D. C. Churbuck… she found that the image of the scientist as an antisocial loner is a myth …—Warren E. Leary
Warren E. Leary
b
: a typically solitary animal
Black bears are loners and usually wander by themselves in search of food.—Mark Carwardine
Mark CarwardineDespite the fact they are loners, cats do have a well-organized social system based on scent marks and mutual avoidance.—Fiona Sunquist
Fiona SunquistSynonyms
Examples of loner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While having an anti-social personality can be a trait serial killers display, a common myth is that all serial killers are loners.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2024
While a lot of little fish can be found in the same hole or run, big fish tend to be loners.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024
As the audience’s emotional proxy, Scott generates immediate sympathy as a soulful loner supremely deserving of the spontaneity and uncomplicated fun Harry brings.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2023
Here, a shaggy adventure tale about a delinquent foster boy and a taciturn New Zealand loner becomes all at once hilarious, wry, and wrenching as the mismatched and reluctant duo find themselves on the run in the wilderness after a series of misfortunes and misunderstandings.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 17 Jan. 2024
Offerman plays Bill, a foul-mouthed loner who helps Joel and Ellie get a car in order to make their way to find the Fireflies.
—Saba Hamedy, NBC News, 16 Jan. 2024
Of course in pop culture, cowboys are stoic loners who push their bodies and minds to the limit.
—Andy Dunn, Fortune, 25 Jan. 2024
Johnson’s Drinking Buddies co-star Anna Kendrick signed on to play a fellow loner who joins Tommy as the game escalates, and Christopher Lloyd, Mary Holland, Natalie Morales, Emily Hampshire, and Dave’s GaTa took other supporting roles.
—Vulture, 17 Jan. 2024
Gregory, the elder, is a loner who rarely talks to others, even his own parents.
—Sarah Schutte, National Review, 21 Jan. 2024
Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2024
While a lot of little fish can be found in the same hole or run, big fish tend to be loners.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024
As the audience’s emotional proxy, Scott generates immediate sympathy as a soulful loner supremely deserving of the spontaneity and uncomplicated fun Harry brings.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2023
Here, a shaggy adventure tale about a delinquent foster boy and a taciturn New Zealand loner becomes all at once hilarious, wry, and wrenching as the mismatched and reluctant duo find themselves on the run in the wilderness after a series of misfortunes and misunderstandings.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 17 Jan. 2024
Offerman plays Bill, a foul-mouthed loner who helps Joel and Ellie get a car in order to make their way to find the Fireflies.
—Saba Hamedy, NBC News, 16 Jan. 2024
Of course in pop culture, cowboys are stoic loners who push their bodies and minds to the limit.
—Andy Dunn, Fortune, 25 Jan. 2024
Johnson’s Drinking Buddies co-star Anna Kendrick signed on to play a fellow loner who joins Tommy as the game escalates, and Christopher Lloyd, Mary Holland, Natalie Morales, Emily Hampshire, and Dave’s GaTa took other supporting roles.
—Vulture, 17 Jan. 2024
Gregory, the elder, is a loner who rarely talks to others, even his own parents.
—Sarah Schutte, National Review, 21 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near loner
Cite this Entry
“Loner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loner. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
loner
noun
lon·er
ˈlō-nər 
: one that avoids others
especially
: individualist sense 1
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