seclusion

noun

se·​clu·​sion si-ˈklü-zhən 

1

: the act of secluding : the condition of being secluded

2

: a secluded or isolated place

seclusive

si-ˈklü-siv 

-ziv

adjective

seclusively adverb

seclusiveness noun

Did you know?

With its prefix se-, "apart", seclusion has the basic meaning of a place or condition that's "closed away". A lone island may be secluded, and its seclusion might be what its owner prizes most about it. Presidents and their staffs may go into seclusion before making critical decisions. Monastery life is purposely secluded, and monks may have taken vows to live lives of seclusion. The deadly brown recluse spider prefers seclusion but is sometimes disturbed by very unlucky people.

Synonyms of seclusion

• solitude
• privacy
• isolation

Choose the Right Synonym for seclusion

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

Examples of seclusion in a Sentence

the seclusion of women that occurs in some countries

I enjoyed the seclusion of the island.

Recent Examples on the Web

The final grand surprise of her first day in Mexico came when someone informed her that the creation was the work of a single nun living in the seclusion of the Hieronymite convent of Santa Paula, just a few miles away. —Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025

Campton, New Hampshire, is also attracting travelers to New England with a mix of snowy outdoor adventures and seclusion for rest and relaxation. —Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2025

While the décor favors blinking neon signs and vintage photos evoking Michigan’s status as the Motor State, lush landscaping and shady groves lend a feeling of seclusion. —Melanie Haiken, Outside, 24 Oct. 2025

If North Island was an ode to solitude and seclusion, Raffles was the exhale — a place where the rhythm of daily life matched the sway of the palms. —Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin seclusion-, seclusio, from Latin secludere

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing seclusion

• in seclusion

Rhymes for seclusion

• allusion
• collusion
• conclusion
• confusion
• contusion
• delusion
• diffusion
• effusion
• exclusion
• extrusion
• illusion
• inclusion

Kids Definition

seclusion

noun

se·​clu·​sion si-ˈklü-zhən 

1

: the act of secluding : the state of being secluded

2

: a secluded place

seclusive

-siv 

-ziv

adjective

seclusively adverb

seclusiveness noun