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

Viloria said that the isolation has led to kids not getting to school, parents getting sick and an uptick in domestic violence. —Amna Subhan For The Ajc, AJC.com, 11 June 2026

Although necessary to ensure total isolation from hazardous environments, the process can consume valuable time during an emergency. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 11 June 2026

Kim Prosser of Ontario said her 19-year-old son, Ashtyn, began struggling with his mental health during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. —Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026

The ruling specified that use of force and isolation for failure to work were unconstitutional. —Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026