isolation
eye-suh-LAY-shuhn
Isolation (noun) means the state of being separated or apart from others. Example: “Many elderly people suffer from loneliness and isolation during long winters.”
noun
1
The state of being separated or apart from others.
"Many elderly people suffer from loneliness and isolation during long winters."
"He spent the winter in near-total isolation at the remote cabin."
"The disease was contained through strict isolation measures."
2
The process of separating a substance, cause, or factor from everything else, in science or investigation.
"Scientists worked on the isolation of a single gene in the sample."
"The isolation of one variable makes the results of an experiment easier to trust."
"The isolation of the virus was a key step in developing the vaccine."
How to use isolation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBeing cut off or kept apart, whether physically, socially, or in a lab experiment.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
in isolation
social isolation
isolation ward
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Word forms
- Plural
- isolations
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Many elderly people suffer from loneliness and _____ during long winters.
Etymology
First recorded around 1800, from French isolation, from isolé ("placed on an island") — built from isolate plus -ion.
Class of 1800
isolation joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for isolation
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for isolation →
Frequently asked questions
What does “isolation” mean?
The word “isolation” means the state of being separated or apart from others. In plain terms, being cut off or kept apart, whether physically, socially, or in a lab experiment.
How do you pronounce “isolation”?
“Isolation” is pronounced eye-suh-LAY-shuhn (/ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “isolation” in a sentence?
Here is “isolation” used in a sentence: “He spent the winter in near-total isolation at the remote cabin.”
What part of speech is “isolation”?
“Isolation” is a noun.
Where does the word “isolation” come from?
The word “isolation” dates back to around 1800 and comes from French. First recorded around 1800, from French isolation, from isolé ("placed on an island") — built from isolate plus -ion.
Is “isolation” a common word?
“Isolation” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “isolation” have?
“Isolation” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the state of being separated or apart from others.
What is the difference between isolation and quarantine?
In public health, isolation separates people who are ill or infected from those who are healthy, while quarantine restricts people who may have been exposed but are not yet known to be ill. In everyday speech, isolation is the broader word for being kept apart from others.
What is the difference between isolation and solitude?
Solitude is the state of being alone, often chosen and experienced as peaceful, while isolation suggests separation that is imposed, prolonged, or unwelcome. Writers reach for solitude to describe restorative alone time and isolation to describe cut-off, lonely circumstances.
What is the difference between isolation and loneliness?
Isolation is the objective state of being separated from others, while loneliness is the unhappy feeling of lacking connection. The two often occur together, but a person can be isolated without feeling lonely and can feel lonely in a crowd.
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