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

But walking with others can add motivation, accountability and socialization to your walking routine, which could help combat feelings of loneliness and social isolation, according to Durand. —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 8 May 2025

Accurately displaying the absent of smartphones and the isolation of the cardinals that is actually part of a conclave, Conclave the movie also leans into fiction with its depiction of the political maneuvering that takes place in the exercise. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 May 2025

The Warriors don’t have enough isolation players who can punish Houston’s aggression. —Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 3 May 2025

The study also showed that present-day isolation rates vary by age. —Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 2 May 2025