sole

sole — adjective

1. used to describe something that is the only one of its kind existing in a partic

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

used to describe something that is the only one of its kind existing in a particular situation, with no others like it.

Example

Arjun was the sole survivor of the plane crash, and his story touched people around the world.

collocation: sole survivor

The sole reason the Watanabe family moved to Toronto was to be closer to their daughter.

collocation: sole reason

Common collocations
  • sole survivor
  • sole reason
  • sole purpose
  • sole cause
  • sole exception
Synonyms
  • only

    more common in everyday speech; 'only' can appear in more grammatical positions than 'sole'

  • single

    emphasizes the count of one rather than exclusivity; 'not a single person' vs 'the sole person'

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

sole + noun

Usage Note

Attributive only — always placed directly before the noun it describes. Never used predicatively (do not say 'The survivor was sole').

Common Mistakes

He was the only one survivor.
He was the sole survivor.
'sole' replaces 'only one' as a single adjective before the noun.
This reason is sole.
This is the sole reason.
'sole' cannot come after a linking verb; it must directly precede a noun.

2. held or controlled by a single individual or entity, with no other person or gro

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

held or controlled by a single individual or entity, with no other person or group having any part in it.

Example

After the divorce, Eve was granted sole custody of her two young children.

legal domain: sole custody

The publishing company holds the sole rights to print translations of that novel.

collocation: sole rights

Common collocations
  • sole responsibility
  • sole ownership
  • sole custody
  • sole rights
  • sole authority
Synonyms
  • exclusive

    slightly more formal; common in contracts and licenses ('exclusive rights')

  • undivided

    used with attention, loyalty, or ownership; suggests completeness rather than legal exclusivity

Antonyms
  • shared

    divided among multiple people

  • joint

    held together by two or more parties

Grammar Patterns

sole + noun

Usage Note

Frequently used in legal and business contexts. Subject is typically a person, company, or institution that has exclusive control or ownership.

Common Mistakes

She has the only responsibility for the project.
She has sole responsibility for the project.
'sole' is the correct legal/business term for exclusive ownership or duty.

3. operating as a single person without business partners, employees who share deci

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

operating as a single person without business partners, employees who share decision-making power, or outside financial involvement.

Example

Pim registered as a sole trader and began selling handcrafted wooden furniture online.

British business term: sole trader

As the sole owner of the bakery, Élise decides the menu, sets the prices, and keeps all the profits.

collocation: sole owner

Common collocations
  • sole trader
  • sole owner
  • sole proprietor
Synonyms
  • independent

    broader meaning; does not specifically describe a business structure

Antonyms
  • joint

    involving two or more owners or partners

  • partnership

    a business owned by two or more people

Grammar Patterns

sole + noun

Usage Note

British English uses 'sole trader'; American English uses 'sole proprietor'. This sense appears mainly in business and legal contexts.

sole — noun

sole — verb

Word family

  • solely
    adverbB2
  • soleness
    nounC2
  • soled
    adjectiveC1
  • unsoled
    adjectiveC2
  • resole
    verbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words relate to the idea of 'one', but they differ in emphasis and usage. 'Only' is the most common and flexible — it can appear in many grammatical positions ('the only one', 'only child', 'only if'). 'Sole' is more formal and carries a stronger sense of exclusivity; it is used before nouns ('sole survivor', 'sole purpose') and cannot stand alone after a verb. 'Single' highlights the count of one, often with a contrastive or emphatic function ('not a single person disagreed'), and it can be used both before nouns and predicatively. 'Unique' goes beyond counting to mean 'one of a kind' or 'unlike anything else', with a stronger qualitative rather than quantitative meaning. For example: 'She was the only applicant' (no others); 'She was the sole applicant' (emphasises exclusivity, perhaps for a key position); 'Not a single applicant had the right qualifications' (emphasises the zero count); 'She had a unique approach to the problem' (her approach was unlike anyone else's).

only ↗sole ↗single ↗unique ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'sole' in its adjective and noun senses ('only', 'alone') comes from Latin 'sōlus', meaning 'alone, only, single, lonely'. This root also gives us 'solitary', 'solitude', and 'solo'. Meanwhile, the noun sense referring to the bottom of the foot or a shoe traces to Latin 'solea' (a sandal, a flat-bottomed shoe), which itself may be related to 'solum' (ground, bottom, floor). The flatfish called 'sole' was named after the 'solea' (sandal) because of its flat, oval shape resembling the sole of a shoe. The verb 'sole' (to put a new bottom on a shoe) developed from the noun sense in the 1500s.