solitude

noun

ˈsä-lə-ˌtüd How to pronounce solitude (audio)
Definition of solitudenext
as in privacy
the state of being alone or kept apart from others sought the kind of solitude where his thoughts would be his only companions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word solitude distinct from other similar nouns?

The words isolation and seclusion are common synonyms of solitude. While all three words mean "the state of one who is alone," solitude may imply a condition of being apart from all human beings or of being cut off by wish or circumstances from one's usual associates.

a few quiet hours of solitude

When is it sensible to use isolation instead of solitude?

The words isolation and solitude are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily.

the isolation of the village in winter

When can seclusion be used instead of solitude?

The words seclusion and solitude can be used in similar contexts, but seclusion suggests a shutting away or keeping apart from others often connoting deliberate withdrawal from the world or retirement to a quiet life.

lived in pastoral seclusion

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of solitude More recently, the canyon retreat welcomed a very different kind of high-profile resident seeking solitude. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2026 The solitude at the end of the world definitely influenced Shearwater’s sound, as this new record is among the most spare and reflective in Meiburg’s career. — David Harris, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026 Billy’s main creative outlet in her years of solitude has been visual art, and her work—abstractions dominated by the geometric forms of Little Death’s air-vent face—seems like a closed circuit of self-therapy. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 31 July 2026 As his year of solitude passes, his grip on reality blurs the line between the living and non-living. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for solitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for solitude
  1. privacy
  2. isolation
  3. loneliness
  4. aloneness
Noun
  • The luxury pods — complete with lie-flat beds and sliding privacy doors — could be entirely off-limits when departure day rolls around, sitting completely empty at 35,000 feet.
    — Edward Russell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Privacy-preserving techniques such as differential privacy, federated learning, and on-device modeling let a publisher predict reader behavior without ever assembling an identifiable profile in a central warehouse.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of privacy
Noun
  • Malware installed on a device running macOS, iOS, and Android, for instance, has no ability to defeat this isolation unless the OS itself is compromised through some sort of exotic zero-day exploit.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Populations in the Eastern Pacific, Western Atlantic, Eastern Atlantic, and Indo-West Pacific each carried unique genetic signatures, reflecting long periods of genetic isolation.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of isolation
Noun
  • OpenAI has faced scrutiny over concerns that ChatGPT risks exposing young people to inappropriate content, exacerbating loneliness or inhibiting learning.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
  • At the same time, 40% reported experiencing stress, 23% reported sadness, 22% anger and 22% loneliness.
    — Naira Velumyan, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of loneliness
Noun
  • During this hour in his presence a very tangible sense of aloneness enveloped me.
    — Chris Ware, The New York Review of Books, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Two people in heady early love, fearing uncertainty and aloneness, rush to get closer.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
Definition of aloneness

Browse Nearby Words

solitary
solitude
solo
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Solitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solitude. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on solitude

Nglish: Translation of solitude for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All