insulate

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verb in·su·late \ˈin(t)-sə-ˌlāt\

Definition of insulate

insulated

;

insulating

transitive verb
: to place in a detached situation : isolate; especially : to separate from conducting bodies by means of nonconductors so as to prevent transfer of electricity, heat, or sound

See insulate defined for English-language learners

See insulate defined for kids

Examples of insulate in a Sentence

They used a special type of fiberglass to insulate the attic.
a material that is able to insulate against cold
The company has tried to insulate itself from the region's political turmoil.
I wish I could insulate my children from painful experiences.

Recent Examples of insulate from the Web

By contrast, more affluent households tend to spend more on services insulated from foreign trade, from gym memberships to child care.

— josh boak and paul wiseman, chicagotribune.com, "Made-in-USA goods can be pricey and elusive. Just ask Trump," 19 July 2017
Production of neoprene—dive wetsuits, insulated lunch boxes, beer koozies—emits toxic chloroprene, and this is the only plant in America that produces it.

— justin nobel, Longreads, "The Louisiana Environmental Apocalypse Road Trip," 13 July 2017
But even big-data chicanery cannot insulate Duterte from the latest blow to his image as the Philippines' protector.

— joseph hincks, Time, "TIME Premium Content," 29 June 2017
There isn’t an excess of dialogue in this pivotal scene from The Beguiled, set during a seemingly genteel dinner at the insulated, sheltered Miss Martha Farnsworth Seminary for Young Ladies.

— vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, "Inside the Seductive, Dangerous World of The Beguiled," 22 June 2017
State companies -- insulated from market pressures by monopolies and access to government financing -- are seen by many as a drag on the world’s second-largest economy.

— keith zhai, Bloomberg.com, "China's Xi Mines State Firms for Political Jobs Before Reshuffle," 21 June 2017
In his cameo on 30 Rock, Fey and Hamm poked fun at Hamm’s cartoonish handsomeness by casting him as Drew, a man whose good looks insulated him from the hardship of daily life.

— anna silman, The Cut, "Jon Hamm Wants You to Know There Is More to Him Than Being Ridiculously Good-Looking," 19 June 2017
Cladding with pure plastic insulation costs less and insulates better than an alternative that incorporates fire-slowing minerals, experts said.

— Washington Post, "Insulating skin on high-rises has fueled fires before London," 18 June 2017
In addition to these regulatory duties, Brand will face the tough task of insulating the investigation from the erratic and inappropriate behavior of President Trump.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "So, Will President* Trump Just Fire Everyone?," 16 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'insulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of insulate

Latin insula

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1741

See Words from the same year

INSULATE Defined for English Language Learners

insulate

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verb

Definition of insulate for English Language Learners

: to add a material or substance to (something) in order to stop heat, electricity, or sound from going into or out of it
: to prevent (someone or something) from dealing with or experiencing something : to keep (someone or something) separate from something unpleasant, dangerous, etc.

INSULATE Defined for Kids

insulate

play

verb in·su·late \ˈin-sə-ˌlāt\

Definition of insulate for Students

insulated

;

insulating

1 : to separate from others : isolate At home he insulates himself from the city.
2 : to separate a conductor of electricity, heat, or sound from other conductors by means of something that does not allow the passage of electricity, heat, or sound insulated electrical wire