spouseless
Lacking a spouse
Spouseless means without a spouse—unmarried, widowed, or divorced.
The word is formal and uncommon, appearing mostly in legal, demographic, or literary contexts: The spouseless among us face different tax implications.
It carries a clinical tone compared to more natural alternatives like single or unmarried.
Not legally wed
- bachelorUnwed male adult
- bacheloretteUnmarried woman
- spinsterUnmarried older woman
- unwedNot hitched
unattached · single · partnerless · mateless · celibate · eligible · solo · free
Complete separation from others
- emptinessAbsence of substance
- yearningIntense prolonged craving
- longingIntense, persistent desire
- solitudeState of being alone
abandonment · melancholy · desolation · alienation · pining · wistfulness · ache · seclusion
Bereaved wife, unmarried since
- widowerMan whose wife died
- bereavedDeprived by death
- mourningPeriod following loss
- lossBeing without something
grief · deceased · survivor · remembrance · memorial · condolences · sorrow · heartache
Independence from outside aid
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- freedomAbsence of constraint
- self-relianceDepending on oneself alone
- empowermentGaining authority or confidence
liberation · solitude · self-care · resilience · self-determination · individualism · confidence · self-fulfillment
unmarried
Not legally wed
- bachelorUnwed male adult
- bacheloretteUnmarried woman
- spinsterUnmarried older woman
unwed · unattached · single · partnerless · mateless · celibate · eligible · solo · free · nonmarital
isolation
Complete separation from others
solitude · abandonment · melancholy · desolation · alienation · pining · wistfulness · ache · seclusion · forlornness
widow
Bereaved wife, unmarried since
loss · grief · deceased · survivor · remembrance · memorial · condolences · sorrow · heartache · bereft
self-sufficiency
Independence from outside aid
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- freedomAbsence of constraint
- self-relianceDepending on oneself alone
empowerment · liberation · solitude · self-care · resilience · self-determination · individualism · confidence · self-fulfillment · self-expression