isolation

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noun iso·la·tion \ˌī-sə-ˈlā-shən also ˌi-\

Definition of isolation

: the action of isolating : the condition of being isolated

See isolation defined for English-language learners

See isolation defined for kids

Examples of isolation in a Sentence

the isolation of the mountain community
forced isolation always made the sociable child lonely

Recent Examples of isolation from the Web

Argentina: Only just reentered capital markets after 15 years of isolation, and President Mauricio Macri wants to strengthen trade ties with anyone willing to listen.

— alan crawford, Bloomberg.com, "The Flashpoints for World Leaders at the Hamburg G-20", 6 July 2017
But genes don’t act in isolation, as geneticists have recently realized.

— science news staff, Science | AAAS, "AI is changing how we do science. Get a glimpse", 5 July 2017
Even the sound design contributes to the feeling of isolation: the birds chirp against a background of distant cannon fire.

— robert w. butler, kansascity, "Sofia Coppola’s ‘The Beguiled’ has its charms but should have been more beguiling", 29 June 2017
Politics, isolation make impacts Some materials are in flux because of political pressures, Jones says.

— zach kyle, idahostatesman, "The building boom in big Treasure Valley office buildings is about to end", 20 June 2017
The events in the moment are so peculiar as to work in isolation anyway.

— corey atad, Esquire, "Twin Peaks Is Still Trying to Put Itself Back Together", 5 June 2017
The move will lead to the isolation of the Trump administration and further corrode international goodwill towards America.

— mark lynas, CNN, "Trump's stupidity on climate change will galvanize the rest of us", 2 June 2017
A scarcity of black teaching staff, observers say, can compound black students’ sense of isolation.

— erik gleibermann, The Atlantic, "The College-Town Achievement Gap", 1 June 2017
The authoritarian Meciar led Slovakia into international isolation during the 1990s and is alleged to have been behind Michal Kovac Jr.’s abduction to Austria in 1995.

— associated press, Washington Post, "Slovak court opens door to investigate political kidnapping", 31 May 2017

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

First Known Use of isolation

1833

Synonym Discussion of isolation

solitude, isolation, seclusion mean the state of one who is alone. solitude may imply a condition of being apart from all human beings or of being cut off by wish or circumstances from one's usual associates. a few quiet hours of solitude isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily. the isolation of the village in winter seclusion suggests a shutting away or keeping apart from others often connoting deliberate withdrawal from the world or retirement to a quiet life. lived in pastoral seclusion

ISOLATION Defined for English Language Learners

isolation

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noun

Definition of isolation for English Language Learners

: the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others : the condition of being isolated
: the act of separating something from other things : the act of isolating something

ISOLATION Defined for Kids

isolation

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noun iso·la·tion \ˌī-sə-ˈlā-shən\

Definition of isolation for Students

: the act of keeping apart from others : the condition of being kept apart from others … it was the cows who were responsible for the wood's isolation … — Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

Medical Dictionary

isolation

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noun iso·la·tion \ˌī-sə-ˈlā-shən\

Medical Definition of isolation

1: the action of isolating or condition of being isolated isolation of a virus put the patient in isolation
2: a segregation of a group of organisms from related forms in such a manner as to prevent crossing
3: a psychological defense mechanism consisting of the separating of ideas or memories from the emotions connected with them