insulate

verb

in·​su·​late ˈin(t)-sə-ˌlāt 

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

Synonyms of insulate

• isolate
• separate
• segregate

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 on the Web

European economies took the dual shocks much harder than the United States, which was insulated by a more diversified economy and a recent world-leading AI buildout. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 July 2026

Countries that produce and export their own energy and that benefit from AI investment are insulated from the war’s economic damage. — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Premium devices, such as Samsung's foldables, may be somewhat insulated, but even Apple is projected to raise iPhone 18 Pro prices. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

This immense infrastructure moat tends to insulate them from new competitors and secures their market dominance. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 8 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin insula

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for insulate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

insulate

verb

in·​su·​late ˈin(t)-sə-ˌlāt 

insulated; insulating

: 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

Etymology

from Latin insula "island" — related to isle, isolate, peninsula