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

Enver Hoxha led the country through ephemeral alliances and radical ruptures, leading it to total isolation. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026

The state’s isolation, bordered by rivers and the sea and lacking road connections to the rest of Brazil, has helped protect it from the deforestation seen in the southern Amazon. —Gabriela Sá Pessoa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026

Many seemed to view her frustrations as unearned self-victimization and willful isolation from her wealthy white castmates. —Shamira Ibrahim, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026

People who are supported and connected are less vulnerable to isolation or despair. —Sediqa Fahimi, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026