Meaning & use

isolation

noun·Everyday

The state of being separate or apart from other people, places, or things.

See it in a sentence

Months of isolation during the harsh winter left the villagers eager for spring visitors.

Doctors placed the patient in isolation to prevent the infection from spreading.

A note on using this word

Can describe physical separation, emotional loneliness, or a deliberate medical practice, as in 'isolate a sample'.

Words with a similar meaning

solitudeseclusion

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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