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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In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Wonder Woman's Superpower Words
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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.
The researchers extended their method beyond isolated cells and applied it directly to human tumor samples.
From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2026
She was still isolated, pushing her views to people and hoping they’d stick.
From Salon • Apr. 29, 2026
A person, confused and distressed by unwanted images they cannot control, can be left feeling like a predator, extremely isolated and overcome with shame.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
The ear turned out to be an ideal testing ground for a gene therapy: small and isolated from the rest of the body, it is easier to deliver therapy safely.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
I concentrated on their rhythmic murmurs coming from the steps, and that sound, isolated from all others, soothed and lulled me to sleep.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
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.
