solo

noun

1. 1

   A piece of music for one performer.

2. 2

   A job or performance done by one person alone.

3. 3

   A card game similar to whist in which each player plays against the others in turn without a partner

4. 4

   A single shot of espresso.

5. 5

   An instance of soloing the football.

adjective

1. 1

   Without a companion or instructor.

   Represented by Olney Gleason gallery, she was the subject of a 2025 solo show at the MSU Broad Art Museum in Michigan and recently unveiled a permanent installation at the Princeton University Art Museum.

2. 2

   Of, or relating to, a musical solo.

   I can appreciate that Macca’s band plays faithful to the source material, never putting too obvious a personal spin on the music. It’s sometimes frustrating, especially when the solo part in “Get Back” is screaming for some impromptu finesse, but it’s mostly fair.

adverb

1. 1

   Alone, without a companion.

   Two of us wearing raincoats / Standing solo / In the sun

   Wake me up before you go-go / 'Cause I'm not plannin' on going solo

   The Canadian superstar had been rumoured to be singing a duet with Lady Gaga, but instead went solo on the Eiffel Tower to bring the four-hour event to a stirring climax.

verb

1. 1

   To perform a solo.

2. 2

   To perform something in the absence of anyone else.

3. 3

   To drop the ball and then toe-kick it upward into the hands.

4. 4

   slangTo independently perform an action, especially a challenging task.

Forms

plural

solos, soli

past tense

soloed

past participle

soloed

present participle

soloing

third person singular

solos, soloes