singles
Singles (noun) means a match played between two individual opponents rather than teams, as in tennis. Example: “She reached the semi-final in women's singles.”
How to use singles
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither one-on-one matches in sports, or people who are unattached romantically.
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She reached the semi-final in women's _____.
Synonyms
View more →Rhymes for singles
See all rhymes for singles →Frequently asked questions
What does “singles” mean?
The word “singles” means a match played between two individual opponents rather than teams, as in tennis. In plain terms, either one-on-one matches in sports, or people who are unattached romantically.
How do you use “singles” in a sentence?
Here is “singles” used in a sentence: “She reached the semi-final in women's singles.”
What part of speech is “singles”?
Depending on how it is used, “singles” can be a noun and an adjective.
Is “singles” a common word?
“Singles” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “singles” have?
“Singles” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a match played between two individual opponents rather than teams, as in tennis.
What is the difference between singles and doubles?
In racket sports like tennis and badminton, singles is played one against one — a single player on each side of the net. Doubles is played two against two, with partners sharing a side. The court markings also differ: doubles uses a wider court, while singles uses the narrower inner lines.
Which sports have singles matches?
Singles is most associated with tennis, but it features across many one-on-one racket and paddle sports, including badminton, squash, table tennis, and pickleball. The term marks any contest between two individual opponents rather than teams. Some other individual sports borrow the idea, but it is chiefly a racket-sport term.
How many players are in a singles match?
Just two — one individual competing against another, with no teammates on court. That is what defines singles: a straight contest between two people. It contrasts with doubles, which has four players in two pairs. Because there is no partner to share the court, singles tends to demand more stamina and all-round movement.