alone and solitary share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. alone means “isolated from others”. solitary means “characterized by or preferring solitude”. alone is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈloʊn/
1.adj.isolated from others
“could be alone in a crowded room”
2.adj.lacking companions or companionship
“he was alone when we met him”
3.adj.exclusive of anyone or anything else
“she alone believed him”
/ˈsɑləˌtɛɹi/
1.adj.characterized by or preferring solitude
“a lone wolf”
2.adj.of plants and animals; not growing or living in groups or colonies
“solitary bees”
3.adj.lacking companions or companionship
“he was alone when we met him”
| alone | solitary | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈloʊn/ | /ˈsɑləˌtɛɹi/ |
| Said | uh-LOHN | SAH-luh-ter-ee |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| Letters | 5 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | adjective, adverb | adjective, noun |
| Senses | 6 | 7 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | lone, lonely |
Full entry for alone · Full entry for solitary · More comparisons