isolation

American  

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

noun

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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Related Words

See solitude.

Other Word Forms

• anti-isolation
  adjective
• postisolation
  adjective
• reisolation
  noun

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

British nationals arriving back in the UK will be taken to an isolation facility where they will be kept for up to 72 hours.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

Lecornu also said he would issue a decree later Sunday authorising appropriate isolation measures being put in place to protect the public.

From Barron's • May 10, 2026

From there, authorities planned to ferry the people to shore and put them on flights home for quarantine and isolation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

There is a kind of professional politeness that demands we discuss each case in isolation so no one has to say aloud what the cumulative pattern reveals.

From Slate • May 8, 2026

I should thank Sara for saving me from social isolation, or at least from being stuck with a pair of older kids who don’t want me in their kitchen.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

Related Words

• confinement
• desolation
• remoteness
• segregation
• solitude