insulation

noun

in·​su·​la·​tion ˌin(t)-sə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce insulation (audio)
1
: material used in insulating
2
a
: the state of being insulated
b
: the action of insulating

Examples of insulation in a Sentence

These materials provide the insulation needed in cold weather. she had grown up in such rural insulation that she'd never met anyone of a different race
Recent Examples on the Web Between those walls is a vacuum of insulation, which is what minimizes heat transfer and helps keep your beverage warm or cold. Jody Serrano / Gizmodo, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024 The plant manufactures styrene monomer, an industrial chemical used to make plastics as diverse as utensils and insulation. Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 With synthetic insulation and zipped pockets, this jacket has everything your child needs to stay warm without effort. Casey Clark, Parents, 5 Mar. 2024 The blast caused a blaze and rained insulation, clothing and other debris down on surrounding trees. Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2024 While what drove the blaze in Valencia is unclear, attention immediately turned to the building’s cladding—material added to the outside of high-rise blocks to improve insulation and aesthetics, and which helped the Grenfell fire spread so quickly. Alex Christian, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2024 One example involves the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which was looking to improve wall insulation across a large number of residential buildings. Mark Schwartz, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 The gases are used in applications such as refrigeration, air-conditioning, building insulation, fire extinguishing systems, and aerosols. USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 For the piercing and tattoo shop, that changeover started last September with checking the building's insulation and air sealing to determine what size heat pumps were needed. Jeff Brady, NPR, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insulation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Time Traveler
The first known use of insulation was in 1798

Dictionary Entries Near insulation

Cite this Entry

“Insulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insulation. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

insulation

noun
in·​su·​la·​tion ˌin(t)-sə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce insulation (audio)
1
: the act of insulating : the state of being insulated
2
: material used in insulating

Medical Definition

insulation

noun
in·​su·​la·​tion ˌin(t)-sə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce insulation (audio)
1
: the action of separating a conductor from conducting bodies by means of nonconductors so as to prevent transfer of electricity, heat, or sound
also : the state resulting from such action
2
: material used to provide insulation
insulate transitive verb
insulated; insulating

More from Merriam-Webster on insulation

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