Single

/ˈsɪŋɡl̩/ · adjective

Meaning

Not accompanied by anything else; one in number..

Definitions by Sense

1. Not accompanied by anything else; one in number.
2. Not divided in parts.
3. Designed for the use of only one.
4. Performed by one person, or one on each side.
5. Not married, and (in modern times) not dating or without a significant other.
6. (botany) Having only one rank or row of petals.
7. (obsolete) Simple and honest; sincere, without deceit.
8. Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.

Example Sentences

Can you give me a single reason not to leave right now?

The vase contained a single long-stemmed rose.

The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution, resolving incoming images in minute detail. It’s therefore not surprising that most cameras mimic this arrangement.

The potatoes left the spoon and landed in a single big lump on the plate.

a single room

a single combat

These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant, […] / Who now defies thee thrice to single fight.

Forms often ask if a person is single, married, divorced, or widowed. In this context, a person who is dating someone but who has never married puts "single".

Synonyms for single

Antonyms for single

Related Words

Word Forms

• singles
• singling
• singled

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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