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

There’s something about Pendle itself, the landscape, the isolation and the history beneath it. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026

The Galapagos Islands are unique, thanks to their isolation from the mainland, proximity to the Equator, competing ocean currents, and volcanic composition. — Michele Metych Britannica Editors Sep. 14, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Sep. 2026

Min Aung Hlaing faced years of diplomatic isolation following his 2021 takeover and was barred from top-level ASEAN meetings for failing to comply with the bloc's peace plan for Myanmar. — Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026

Another talks about the internet as a great repository of human knowledge that has also led to isolation, depression, cruelty, and misinformation. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026