Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

cloistered

American  
[kloi-sterd] / ˈklɔɪ stərd /

adjective

  1. secluded from the world; sheltered.

    a cloistered life.

    Synonyms:
    aloof, isolated, withdrawn
  2. having a cloister or cloisters.


cloistered British  
/ ˈklɔɪstəd /

adjective

  1. secluded or shut up from the world

  2. living in a monastery or nunnery

  3. (of a building, courtyard, etc) having or provided with a cloister

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of cloistered

First recorded in 1575–85; cloister + -ed 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Cloistered second-floor galleries are meant to provide a peaceful sanctuary for taking in the art.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2025

Cloistered in the backroom of the Happy Fig, Kostas and Defne pledge themselves to each other, unaware of the trouble gathering on the horizon.

From Washington Post • Nov. 15, 2021

Cloistered coral reefs of home are surrounded by frightful drop-offs and strong currents that can sweep a little fish out to an immense sea.

From Washington Times • Jun. 13, 2016

Cloistered in a vast Minnesotan home studio among umpteen hours of unreleased music, he often seemed the quintessential obsessive-compulsive auteur.

From The Guardian • Apr. 24, 2016

Cloistered in his sprawling town house on Rutland Gate, Francis Galton was oddly unstirred by the “stirring times.”

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee