iso·late
ˈī-sə-ˌlāt 
also ˈi-
isolated; isolating
1
: to set apart from others
also
: quarantine
2
: to select from among others
especially
: to separate from another substance so as to obtain pure or in a free state
3
: insulate
1
: an individual, population, strain, or culture obtained by or resulting from selection or separation
2
: an individual socially withdrawn or removed from society
Synonyms
Examples of isolate in a Sentence
Verb
These policies will only serve to isolate the country politically and economically.
Certain patients must be isolated in a separate ward.
When he wants to work, he isolates himself in his office and won't talk to anyone.
Scientists have isolated the gene that causes the disease.
Noun
interpersonal relationships are very stressful for him, so he lives as a virtual isolate
Recent Examples on the Web
Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
The method involves dissolving CBD isolate in solvent, adding a strong acid, heating it, and neutralizing the acid.
—Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
This is not a sundown town where the romanticized past can only exist because armed men patrol to guard the folk isolated together.
—Eisa Nefertari Ulen, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
The devastation in the Gaza Strip has provoked international outrage, isolating Israel on the global stage.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
The regime was isolated by sanctions and impoverished by war, and captagon became a vital source of its income and foreign currency holdings.
—Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2024
Children were isolated from their parents and raised by caregivers.
—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
After a year, Silverman had isolated herself from friends and family to avoid their concern, was dizzy and aching from undereating.
—Audrey Richardson and Aurora Sousanis, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
If you are infected, do your best to remain hydrated and isolate to control the spread of the virus to others.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 5 Apr. 2024
Karson Yiu, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2022
However, those who have tested positive still need to self-isolate and wear masks.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2022
The pair hosted a virtual bingo night for a senior living home, whose residents had to self-isolate in the living facility, and donated 110,000 masks to hospitals across rural Texas.
—Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 19 Oct. 2022
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Arielle reportedly ignored shelter-in-place mandates to self-isolate in the Hamptons.
—Emily Burack, Town & Country, 7 Dec. 2022
They’re being required to remain on the farm and self-isolate with their household groups, with the local council arranging deliveries of food and essential supplies.
—BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2020
More than 2,000 people identified as contacts of Ebola patients have been ordered into makeshift isolation facilities or told to self-isolate at home.
—Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 8 Nov. 2022
The pandemic was rough having to self-isolate and continue working three full-time jobs as a social worker, grad student, and intern.
—Channy Ping, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2022
Billy Gilmour had a positive test, and two England players, Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were deemed close contacts and had to self-isolate.
—Steve Price, Forbes, 25 June 2022
Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
The best quality varieties often contain 99% pure CBD, where the isolate is contained in an oil, crystal or solid powder.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
For instance, among isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, a common cause of nosocomial infections, 68 percent were resistant to carbapenem antibiotics, a class of antibiotics often used as a last-line defense.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 11 July 2023
They are also made from CBD isolate, which is pure CBD.
—Dr. Diana Rangaves, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Whole food protein sources will add other nutrients to your diet that a protein isolate will not.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024
Protein type: Soy isolate Pros: Great protein-to-calorie ratio; third-party-tested; made with non-GMO soybeans
Cons: Not suitable for people with soy allergy
8/10
Best Pea Protein: Naked Pea Protein
This high-quality pea protein isolate contains just one single ingredient: yellow pea protein.
—April Benshosan, Glamour, 13 Mar. 2024
Compared with compound proteins, isolates contain more protein and less fat, carbs, and lactose, the latter of which can cause GI distress and digestion issues for some, Dr. Titchenal explains.
—Jenny McCoy, Glamour, 2 Feb. 2024
But there can be a deep aesthetic of beauty, too, in the isolate, the singular, the solitary, no-longer-connected or not-yet-fitted.
—New York Times, 1 Feb. 2024
Verb
The former couple spent time together in her Los Angeles home in early August 2019 and isolated in quarantine together during the 2020 pandemic.
—Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
The method involves dissolving CBD isolate in solvent, adding a strong acid, heating it, and neutralizing the acid.
—Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
This is not a sundown town where the romanticized past can only exist because armed men patrol to guard the folk isolated together.
—Eisa Nefertari Ulen, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
The devastation in the Gaza Strip has provoked international outrage, isolating Israel on the global stage.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
The regime was isolated by sanctions and impoverished by war, and captagon became a vital source of its income and foreign currency holdings.
—Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2024
Children were isolated from their parents and raised by caregivers.
—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
After a year, Silverman had isolated herself from friends and family to avoid their concern, was dizzy and aching from undereating.
—Audrey Richardson and Aurora Sousanis, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
If you are infected, do your best to remain hydrated and isolate to control the spread of the virus to others.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 5 Apr. 2024
Adjective
People who been in close contact with sick individuals can now self-isolate at home for five days.
—Karson Yiu, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2022
However, those who have tested positive still need to self-isolate and wear masks.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2022
The pair hosted a virtual bingo night for a senior living home, whose residents had to self-isolate in the living facility, and donated 110,000 masks to hospitals across rural Texas.
—Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 19 Oct. 2022
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Arielle reportedly ignored shelter-in-place mandates to self-isolate in the Hamptons.
—Emily Burack, Town & Country, 7 Dec. 2022
They’re being required to remain on the farm and self-isolate with their household groups, with the local council arranging deliveries of food and essential supplies.
—BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2020
More than 2,000 people identified as contacts of Ebola patients have been ordered into makeshift isolation facilities or told to self-isolate at home.
—Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 8 Nov. 2022
The pandemic was rough having to self-isolate and continue working three full-time jobs as a social worker, grad student, and intern.
—Channy Ping, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2022
Billy Gilmour had a positive test, and two England players, Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were deemed close contacts and had to self-isolate.
—Steve Price, Forbes, 25 June 2022
Noun
Utilizing the isolate, a byproduct of Rosin Absolute's extraction process, allows Juva Life to maximize return on investment from all its outputs.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
The best quality varieties often contain 99% pure CBD, where the isolate is contained in an oil, crystal or solid powder.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
For instance, among isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, a common cause of nosocomial infections, 68 percent were resistant to carbapenem antibiotics, a class of antibiotics often used as a last-line defense.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 11 July 2023
They are also made from CBD isolate, which is pure CBD.
—Dr. Diana Rangaves, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Whole food protein sources will add other nutrients to your diet that a protein isolate will not.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024
Protein type: Soy isolate Pros: Great protein-to-calorie ratio; third-party-tested; made with non-GMO soybeans
Cons: Not suitable for people with soy allergy
8/10
Best Pea Protein: Naked Pea Protein
This high-quality pea protein isolate contains just one single ingredient: yellow pea protein.
—April Benshosan, Glamour, 13 Mar. 2024
Compared with compound proteins, isolates contain more protein and less fat, carbs, and lactose, the latter of which can cause GI distress and digestion issues for some, Dr. Titchenal explains.
—Jenny McCoy, Glamour, 2 Feb. 2024
But there can be a deep aesthetic of beauty, too, in the isolate, the singular, the solitary, no-longer-connected or not-yet-fitted.
—New York Times, 1 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'isolate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Isolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/isolate. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
isolate
1 of 2 transitive verb
iso·late
ˈī-sə-ˌlāt
isolated; isolating
: to set apart from others: as
a
: to separate (one with a contagious disease) from others not similarly infected
b
: to separate (as a chemical compound) from all other substances : obtain pure or in a free state
1
: an individual (as a spore or single organism), a viable part of an organism (as a cell), or a strain that has been isolated (as from diseased tissue, contaminated water, or the air)
also
: a pure culture produced from such an isolate
2
: a relatively homogeneous population separated from related populations by geographic, biologic, or social factors or by human intervention
3
: a socially withdrawn individual
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