loner vs hermit

loner and hermit both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
loner	Yes	No	No	No
hermit	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, hermit is a hyponym of loner; that is, hermit is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than loner:

Other hyponyms of loner include recluse, solitary, solitudinarian, troglodyte.

loner (noun)	hermit (noun)
a person who avoids the company or assistance of others	one who lives in solitude
	one retired from society for religious reasons