hermit

/ˈhɜrmɪt/
noun
  1. A person who lives alone, away from other people, often for religious or spiritual reasons.
    • In medieval times, some monks became hermits to focus on prayer.
    • The hermit lived in a small cabin deep in the forest.
    • After years in the city, he decided to become a hermit and move to the mountains.
  2. A person who avoids social contact and prefers to be alone.
    • After the breakup, he turned into a hermit and stopped answering calls.
    • She was known as the neighborhood hermit because she never spoke to anyone.
    • Since retiring, my uncle has become a bit of a hermit, rarely leaving his house.
Antonyms