Synonyms of isolation

isolation

noun

ˌī-sə-ˈlā-shən 

as in solitude

the state of being alone or kept apart from others

after the long book tour, the author looked forward to the isolation of his office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• solitude
• privacy
• loneliness
• segregation
• seclusion
• aloneness
• separateness
• insulation
• solitariness
• sequestration
• confinement
• secludedness
• internment
• vacuum
• retirement
• quarantine
• withdrawal
• lonesomeness
• incarceration
• ghettoization

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• society
• company
• companionship
• fellowship
• camaraderie
• comradeship

Synonym Chooser

How is the word isolation distinct from other similar nouns?

The words seclusion and solitude are common synonyms of isolation. While all three words mean "the state of one who is alone," isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily.

the isolation of the village in winter

In what contexts can seclusion take the place of isolation?

The synonyms seclusion and isolation are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

When might solitude be a better fit than isolation?

While the synonyms solitude and isolation are close in meaning, 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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of isolation

Coffee and Cameras gives them a reason to leave that isolation behind, even if only for an evening. — Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2026

While some social media users believe loneliness creators encourage self-love, some online users and experts criticize them for encouraging isolation amid a time when the World Health Organization has made loneliness a global health priority. — Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026

The pandemic was a catalyst for the isolation but so was increasing use of social media and technology, experts say. — Elaine Pofeldt, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Some newer earbuds pair passive noise isolation with active noise cancellation. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026