isolation

American  

[ahy-suh-ley-shuhn, is-uh-] / ˌaɪ səˈleɪ ʃən, ˌɪs ə- /

noun

isolations plural

1. an act or instance of isolating.

2. the state of being isolated.

3. the complete separation from others of a person suffering from contagious or infectious disease; quarantine.

   Synonyms:

   segregation

4. the separation of a nation from other nations by isolationism.

5. Psychoanalysis. a process whereby an idea or memory is divested of its emotional component.

6. Sociology. social isolation.

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isolation British  

/ ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of isolating or the condition of being isolated

2. (of a country, party, etc) nonparticipation in or withdrawal from international politics

3. med

   1. social separation of a person who has or is suspected of having a contagious disease Compare quarantine

   2. ( as modifier )

      an isolation hospital

4. sociol a lack of contact between persons, groups, or whole societies

5. social psychol the failure of an individual to maintain contact with others or genuine communication where interaction with others persists

6. without regard to context, similar matters, etc

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Synonym Usage

See solitude.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• reisolation
  noun
• anti-isolation
  adjective
• postisolation
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• isolations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of isolation

First recorded in 1825–35; isolate + -ion

Explanation

Isolation means completely alone, like the stranded skiers who were in total isolation after an avalanche stranded them at the top of a mountain. People who live in isolation are completely cut off from the rest of the world, like the hermit who lives in a lonely mountain cabin because no one understands his desire to collect thimbles. A really contagious illness can land patients in isolation at their local hospital, kept separate from the rest of the hospital so they don't share their disease with the other patients. A country can exist in isolation, left alone because other nations don't agree with its policies.

Example Sentences

In 2023 the U.S. surgeon general called loneliness and social isolation a public-health problem.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026

A 2022 Times story detailed the isolation and lengthy wait times that some dogs seized in criminal cases face at L.A. city shelters.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

Madonna looks at a world where “no one wants to go outside,” nodding at the ways the COVID-19 pandemic broadly increased our isolation and made people more fearful of reality and each other.

From Salon • Jul. 8, 2026

How a team defends is not done in isolation.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

“Until then, you will be placed at isolation desks in all your sessions, and you're not to engage with Clare Lumen under any circumstances. You're to keep this confidential for your own sake.”

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• confinement
• desolation
• remoteness
• segregation
• solitude