lone

/ləʊn/

//ləʊn// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"lone" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lone” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,168 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#8,168
frequency rank, English
4
letters
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Solitary; having no companion.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

lone vs lot
50% similar
lone vs low
50% similar
lone vs los
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for lone
PropertyValue
Headwordlone
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ləʊn/
Letters4
Frequency rank#8,168
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lone” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). lone lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for lone is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ləʊn/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,168 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for lone, with forms such as "llone", "lnoe", and "lonne". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "lot", "low", "los", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Shortened from alone. The correct English form is lone, spelled L-O-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Solitary; having no companion.
  2. 2
    Isolated or lonely; lacking companionship.
  3. 3
    Sole; being the only one of a type.
  4. 4
    Situated by itself or by oneself, with no neighbours.
  5. 5
    Unfrequented by human beings; solitary.
  6. 6
    Single; unmarried, or in widowhood.
  7. 7
    Not divided into multiple districts.

Etymology

Shortened from alone.

Synonyms

only

This word in other languages

solo(Español)seul(Français)einzeln(Deutsch)só(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: llone,lnoe,lonne,olne

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lone - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

llone1lnoe2lonne1olne2
Edit distance from "lone"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lone"?
"lone" is spelled L-O-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ləʊn/.
What does "lone" mean?
As an adjective, "lone" means: Solitary; having no companion.
What words are commonly confused with "lone"?
"lone" is commonly confused with "lot", "low", "los". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lone"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lone" is /ləʊn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "lone"?
Shortened from alone. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “lone”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-O-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ləʊn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “lot” - see the side-by-side comparison. lone vs lot
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list