isolated
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- isolatedly adverb
- semi-isolated adjective
Etymology
Origin of isolated
First recorded in 1755–65; equivalent to French isol(é) (from Italian; see isolato) + -ate 1 + -ed 2
Explanation
Isolated means far away from everyone or everything else. The hermit who lives on a remote island is isolated from the rest of the world, with nothing but coconuts and fish to keep him company. The word isolated comes from the Latin word insula, which means island. You don't have to be on a remote island to feel isolated, though. Even people who live in big cities can feel a sense of isolation if they don't have many friends and spend a lot of time alone. In addition to remote or set apart, isolated can mean a single event, or incident. The high school students assured their principal that the cafeteria food fight was an isolated incident, promising that it would never, ever happen again.
Vocabulary lists containing isolated
A Long Walk to Water
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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.
These particles eventually settle in distant and isolated locations.
From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026
The North said this week it fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles that tested the power of its cluster munitions, the latest in a flurry of launches by the diplomatically isolated state.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
Groton is also isolated from the state’s major transportation lines and limited by a declining population.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
The intimidation of Singh’s tournament was not an isolated incident.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026
This typically occurs when animals are isolated from each other by a physical barrier or another permanent form of isolation, ultimately leading to reproductive incompatibility.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
