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

This modern ryokan evolved from a 19th-century Meiji-era inn that catered to international travelers coming to Kobe, the first Japanese city to reopen after 300 years of isolation. —Kelsey Eisen, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2026

When selecting an innerspring mattress, look for pocketed coils, which move independently to improve motion isolation. —Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2026

Rodríguez was kept in isolation for five days, the filing states. —Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026

The Korubo people were some of the last tribes living in complete isolation in the rainforest. —Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026