Single vs. Taken: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Single refers to being not in a romantic relationship, while taken indicates being in a committed romantic relationship.
Key Differences
Single describes a person who is not currently in a romantic relationship, indicating a status of independence or availability. In contrast, taken denotes a person who is in a committed romantic relationship, implying a connection or partnership with someone else.
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Nov 29, 2023
Being single can often imply freedom and the autonomy to make individual choices without considering a partner. Conversely, being taken means being involved in a relationship where decisions and actions may be influenced or shared with a significant other.
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Nov 29, 2023
Singles may actively be seeking a romantic relationship or might choose to stay single out of personal preference. On the other hand, individuals who are taken are not seeking a relationship, as they are already committed to their partner.
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The social life of a single person can be more flexible, with the ability to socialize freely. In contrast, those who are taken might prioritize time with their partner and often consider their partner’s preferences and schedules in their social life.
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Nov 29, 2023
Single individuals may experience less social pressure in terms of maintaining a relationship, whereas those who are taken often engage in maintaining and nurturing their romantic relationship.
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Nov 29, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Relationship Status
Not in a romantic relationship.
In a committed romantic relationship.
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Social Life
More flexibility in socializing.
Socializing often includes or considers the partner.
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Decision Making
Decisions made independently.
Decisions often made considering the partner.
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Seeking a Relationship
May or may not be seeking a relationship.
Not seeking a relationship; already committed.
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Personal Autonomy
Greater autonomy in personal choices.
Personal choices often intertwined with partner’s.
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Single and Taken Definitions
Single
Not involved in a romantic relationship.
He's been single since last year.
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Single
Independent, especially in making decisions.
As a single person, she traveled the world freely.
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Taken
Under the influence or control of something.
He was taken with a sudden idea.
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Single
Not accompanied by others; alone.
He walked in single file with his classmates.
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Taken
In a committed romantic relationship.
She's taken and very happy with her partner.
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Single
One in number; individual.
She won every single match in the tournament.
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Taken
Enchanted or charmed by someone or something.
He was completely taken by her charm.
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Single
Consisting of one part, aspect, or section
A single thickness.
A single serving.
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Single
Having the same application for all; uniform
A single moral code for all.
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Taken
Infatuated; fond of or attracted to.
He was very taken with the girl, I hear.
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Single
Consisting of one in number
She had but a single thought, which was to escape.
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Taken
(informal) In a serious romantic relationship.
I can't ask him out, she's taken.
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Single
Separate from others; individual and distinct
Every single child will receive a gift.
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Taken
Understood in a certain way; made sense of;
A word taken literally
A smile taken as consent
An open door interpreted as an invitation
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Single
Having individual opponents; involving two individuals only
Single combat.
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Taken
Be affected with an indisposition;
The child was taken ill
Couldn't tell when he would be taken drunk
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Single
Not married or involved in a romantic relationship
Once he knew she was single, he asked her to go out.
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Single
Relating to a state of being unmarried or uninvolved in a romantic relationship
Enjoys the single life.
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Single
Something capable of carrying, moving, or holding one person or thing at a time, as a bed or a hotel room.
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Single
A phonograph record, especially a forty-five, having one song on each side.
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Single
A song, often from a full-length album or compact disc, that is released for airplay.
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Single
(Baseball) A hit enabling the batter to reach first base. Also called one-bagger, one-base hit.
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Single
Singles A competition in which individuals compete against each other, as in rowing or figure skating.
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Single
To cause (a base runner) to score or advance by hitting a single
Singled him to second.
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Single
Not accompanied by anything else; one in number.
Can you give me a single reason not to leave right now?
The vase contained a single long-stemmed rose.
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Single
Not divided in parts.
The potatoes left the spoon and landed in a single big lump on the plate.
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Single
Not married, and (in modern times) not dating or without a significant other.
Forms often ask if a person is single, married, divorced, or widowed. In this context, a person who is dating someone but who has never married puts "single".
Josh put down that he was a single male on the dating website.
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Single
(music) A 45 RPM vinyl record with one song on side A and one on side B.
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Single
(music) A popular song released and sold (on any format) nominally on its own though usually having at least one extra track.
The Offspring released four singles from their most recent album.
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Single
One who is not married or does not have a romantic partner.
He went to the party, hoping to meet some friendly singles there.
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Single
(baseball) A hit in baseball where the batter advances to first base.
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Single
(dominoes) A tile that has a different value (i.e. number of pips) at each end.
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Single
A bill valued at $1.
I don't have any singles, so you'll have to make change.
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Single
(Canadian football) A score of one point, awarded when a kicked ball is dead within the non-kicking team's end zone or has exited that end zone.
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Single
One of the reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give them firmness.
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Single
A floating-point number having half the precision of a double-precision value.
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Single
To identify or select one member of a group from the others; generally used with out, either to single out or to single (something) out.
Eddie singled out his favorite marble from the bag.
Yvonne always wondered why Ernest had singled her out of the group of giggling girls she hung around with.
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Single
(baseball) To get a hit that advances the batter exactly one base.
Pedro singled in the bottom of the eighth inning, which, if converted to a run, would put the team back into contention.
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Oct 19, 2023
Single
One only, as distinguished from more than one; consisting of one alone; individual; separate; as, a single star.
No single man is born with a right of controlling the opinions of all the rest.
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Single
Alone; having no companion.
Who single hast maintained,Against revolted multitudes, the causeOf truth.
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Single
Hence, unmarried; as, a single man or woman.
Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness.
Single chose to live, and shunned to wed.
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Single
Not doubled, twisted together, or combined with others; as, a single thread; a single strand of a rope.
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Single
Performed by one person, or one on each side; as, a single combat.
These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant, . . . Who now defles thee thrice ti single fight.
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Single
Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.
Simple ideas are opposed to complex, and single to compound.
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Single
Not deceitful or artful; honest; sincere.
I speak it with a single heart.
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Single
Simple; not wise; weak; silly.
He utters such single matter in so infantly a voice.
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Single
To select, as an individual person or thing, from among a number; to choose out from others; to separate.
Dogs who hereby can single out their master in the dark.
His blood! she faintly screamed her mindStill singling one from all mankind.
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Oct 19, 2023
Single
To sequester; to withdraw; to retire.
An agent singling itself from consorts.
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Single
To take alone, or one by one.
Men . . . commendable when they are singled.
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Single
To take the irrregular gait called single-foot; - said of a horse. See Single-foot.
Many very fleet horses, when overdriven, adopt a disagreeable gait, which seems to be a cross between a pace and a trot, in which the two legs of one side are raised almost but not quite, simultaneously. Such horses are said to single, or to be single-footed.
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Oct 19, 2023
Single
The reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give them firmness.
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Single
The smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number;
He has the one but will need a two and three to go with it
They had lunch at one
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Oct 19, 2023
Single
Existing alone or consisting of one entity or part or aspect or individual;
Upon the hill stood a single tower
Had but a single thought which was to escape
A single survivor
A single serving
A single lens
A single thickness
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Single
Used of flowers having usually only one row or whorl of petals;
Single chrysanthemums resemble daisies and may have more than one row of petals
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Single
Not married or related to the unmarried state;
Unmarried men and women
Unmarried life
Sex and the single girl
Single parenthood
Are you married or single?
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Single
Characteristic of or meant for a single person or thing;
An individual serving
Separate rooms
Single occupancy
A single bed
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Single
Not divided among or brought to bear on more than one object or objective;
Judging a contest with a single eye
A single devotion to duty
Undivided affection
Gained their exclusive attention
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Single
Individual and distinct;
Pegged down each separate branch to the earth
A gift for every single child
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Single
Available for a romantic relationship.
She's single and ready to mingle at the party.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Does being taken always mean being married?
No, being taken can also refer to non-married committed relationships.
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Nov 29, 2023
What does 'taken' signify in a relationship context?
Taken signifies being in a committed romantic relationship.
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Do taken individuals go on dates?
Yes, taken individuals often go on dates with their partners.
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What does it mean to be single?
Being single means not being in a romantic relationship.
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Nov 29, 2023
Can a single person have a fulfilling social life?
Yes, single people can have a rich and fulfilling social life.
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Can someone be happy being single?
Yes, many people are happy and fulfilled being single.
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Is it common to be single in adulthood?
Yes, it's quite common and socially accepted to be single in adulthood.
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Can a single person be not interested in dating?
Absolutely, some single people choose not to date.
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Nov 29, 2023
Is being taken a guarantee of happiness?
Not necessarily, relationship happiness depends on many factors.
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Does being taken mean less personal space?
Sometimes, as being taken often involves sharing space and time with a partner.
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Can singles have close platonic relationships?
Absolutely, singles can have deep and meaningful platonic relationships.
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Do taken people always live with their partners?
Not always, some taken individuals maintain separate residences.
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Do taken people celebrate anniversaries?
Most taken couples celebrate anniversaries of their relationship.
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Is it possible to be single and not lonely?
Yes, many singles lead fulfilling lives without feeling lonely.
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Can a single person adopt a child?
Yes, single individuals can adopt children in many regions.
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How does one move from single to taken?
By entering into a committed romantic relationship.
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Are there advantages to being taken?
Being taken can provide companionship, support, and shared experiences.
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Is it necessary to be taken to be socially accepted?
No, social acceptance does not depend on one’s relationship status.
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Can singles feel pressure to enter relationships?
Yes, societal or peer pressure can influence singles to seek relationships.
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Can being single offer more freedom?
Often, being single offers more freedom in personal life choices.
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Nov 29, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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