SECLUSION Synonyms: 26 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'seclusion' distinct from other similar nouns?

The words isolation and solitude are common synonyms of seclusion . While all three words mean "the state of one who is alone," 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

Q: Where would 'isolation' be a reasonable alternative to 'seclusion'?

The synonyms isolation and seclusion are sometimes interchangeable, but isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily. // the isolation of the village in winter

Q: When would 'solitude' be a good substitute for 'seclusion'?

The words solitude and seclusion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

seclusion

noun

si-ˈklü-zhən

Definition of seclusion

as in solitude

the state of being alone or kept apart from others she went into seclusion in order to focus entirely on writing her book

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How is the word seclusion distinct from other similar nouns?

The words isolation and solitude are common synonyms of seclusion. While all three words mean "the state of one who is alone," 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

Where would isolation be a reasonable alternative to seclusion?

The synonyms isolation and seclusion are sometimes interchangeable, but isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily.

the isolation of the village in winter

When would solitude be a good substitute for seclusion?

The words solitude and seclusion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of seclusion Althorp House is Diana’s final resting place, chosen for its privacy and seclusion. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 1 July 2026 Jumby Bay is already Antigua’s most private of islands, but this estate stands alone in five acres of beachfront seclusion. — Sarah Turner, Robb Report, 25 June 2026 Here, pergolas frame wisteria, allium, and Camassia, creating a delicate, colorful border that effortlessly adds a sense of privacy and seclusion. — Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 21 June 2026 Lexie Zhao & Haina Zhou Drawn from seclusion to serve the realm in chaos, LV An journeys to Luoyang with his wife XU – into ruin. — Jenny S. Li, Variety, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for seclusion

Recent Examples of Synonyms for seclusion

Noun

Ferlinghetti’s friendship with Jack Kerouac — and his invitations to escape the Bay Area for the solitude of the Big Sur coast — tied the poet and the novelist to the same stretch of rugged landscape that still draws tourists and artists today.

— David Caraccio Updated July 13, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026
Outside of Saturday afternoon Mass, there’s little break to the solitude.

— Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Definition of solitude

Noun

Apple and Google, however, say opening up their platforms could raise serious privacy concerns.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
The privacy question is about sharing a little bit of information once, at account creation, in order to grant a social media company the right to take, use, and sell gigabytes of your personal information for many years to come.

— Ravi Iyer, Time, 18 July 2026

Definition of privacy

Noun

The all-new Tokyo Design Studio Niobium Concept 1 (TDS MSNB1) was born from that same style of category-decimating experimentation back in the days of isolation and face masks.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 July 2026
When selecting an innerspring mattress, look for pocketed coils, which move independently to improve motion isolation.

— Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 14 July 2026

Definition of isolation

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secluding

seclusion

second

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“Seclusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seclusion. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of seclusion

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