loner
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loner
A person who prefers to be alone or do things by themselves rather than be in the company of others.
Er war schon immer ein Einzelgänger und hatte nur wenige enge Freunde.
He had always been a loner and had only a few close friends.
The word is made up of 'einzel' (alone, individual) and 'Gänger' (someone who walks/goes). An 'Einzelgänger' (loner) is therefore literally a person or animal that goes its own way alone.
Er geht am liebsten allein wandern, er ist ein echter Einzelgänger.
He prefers to go hiking alone; he's a real loner.
You can easily tell from the context whether a person or an animal is meant. In conversations about psychology, friendship, or character, it refers to people. In texts about biology or nature documentaries, it refers to animals.
In der neuen Klasse fand er nur schwer Anschluss und blieb ein Einzelgänger.
In the new class, he found it hard to connect with others and remained a loner.
When the word describes a person, it often has a slightly melancholic or distant connotation. It can mean neutral independence, but it rarely describes a purely positive, sociable trait.
Manche halten ihn für arrogant, aber er ist einfach nur ein Einzelgänger.
Some people think he's arrogant, but he's simply a loner.
outsider / underdog
'der Außenseiter' and 'der Einzelgänger' both describe people who are not strongly integrated into a group. The difference lies in the reason. An 'Außenseiter' is on the margins of a group or is not really accepted. This can also be involuntary. An 'Einzelgänger' prefers to be alone or likes doing things by themselves. That can be their own choice. The words can be confused because both people often seem alone. As a guide: 'Außenseiter' emphasizes the relationship to the group, while 'Einzelgänger' emphasizes the person's own behavior or preference for being alone.
Mein Nachbar ist ein Einzelgänger und verbringt die Wochenenden meist allein.
My neighbor is a loner and usually spends the weekends alone.
In der neuen Klasse fühlt sich Ali noch wie ein Außenseiter.
In the new class, Ali still feels like an outsider.