self-isolate
verb
self-iso·late
ˌself-ˈī-sə-ˌlāt 
also -ˈi-
self-isolated; self-isolating; self-isolates
: to isolate or separate oneself or itself from others
Feelings of shame and a tendency to self-isolate in order to hide the behaviors can result in loss of social support.—
Alex Gitterman
Alex GittermanMy husband and I are both 85 and have heart problems, so even before the new orders we were self-isolating to avoid getting or passing on coronavirus.—Louise Cate
Louise CateGovernment officials said that public gatherings must be restricted to two people … . Those over 70 should self-isolate themselves.—Lidia Kelly
Lidia Kellyself-isolated people/countries
Examples of self-isolate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The infected workers quickly self-isolated.
—NPR, 21 Oct. 2025
The child self-isolated and is no longer contagious, according to the health district.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 8 Aug. 2025
Instead, these attempts led Hale to becoming very paranoid, more secretive, and to further self-isolate herself from the world.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
The call came while the young Englishman was self-isolating for two weeks with Covid-19.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Willis attended Moore’s memoir launch in 2019, and the two self-isolated together during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Makena Gera, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
Committing to ‘uninterrupted concentration’ Throughout his career, Gates has frequently credited his success to his voracious reading habit and ability to self-isolate.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 4 Dec. 2024
Strange experiences prompt you to self-isolate as the moon clashes with Neptune.
—USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
On your radar Biden’s schedule has been cleared since he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and is self-isolating in Delaware.
—Keely Bastow, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 July 2024
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NPR, 21 Oct. 2025
The child self-isolated and is no longer contagious, according to the health district.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 8 Aug. 2025
Instead, these attempts led Hale to becoming very paranoid, more secretive, and to further self-isolate herself from the world.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
The call came while the young Englishman was self-isolating for two weeks with Covid-19.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Willis attended Moore’s memoir launch in 2019, and the two self-isolated together during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Makena Gera, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
Committing to ‘uninterrupted concentration’ Throughout his career, Gates has frequently credited his success to his voracious reading habit and ability to self-isolate.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 4 Dec. 2024
Strange experiences prompt you to self-isolate as the moon clashes with Neptune.
—USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
On your radar Biden’s schedule has been cleared since he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and is self-isolating in Delaware.
—Keely Bastow, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Self-isolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-isolate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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