insulate

verb

in·​su·​late ˈin(t)-sə-ˌlāt How to pronounce insulate (audio)
insulated; insulating

transitive verb

: to place in a detached situation : isolate
especially : to separate from conducting bodies by means of nonconductors so as to prevent transfer of electricity, heat, or sound

Examples of insulate in a Sentence

They used a special type of fiberglass to insulate the attic. a material that is able to insulate against cold The company has tried to insulate itself from the region's political turmoil. I wish I could insulate my children from painful experiences.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, said recent boosts in gasoline supply to California from Asia and other factors may largely insulate drivers in the Golden State from price increases. Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2025 Reliance reported sales of $114 billion, up from $109 billion last year, and was largely insulated from global headwinds with its revenue driven mostly by domestic demand. Anu Raghunathan, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025 Not to say paying college athletes will insulate them from disgruntled gamblers. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025 To this day, no synthetic material can match down’s ratio of weight to warmth, but insulating feathers continue to inspire new materials and technologies. Ian Rose, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for insulate

Word History

Etymology

Latin insula

First Known Use

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insulate was circa 1741

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insulate. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

insulate

verb
in·​su·​late ˈin(t)-sə-ˌlāt How to pronounce insulate (audio)
insulated; insulating
: to place in a detached situation : isolate
especially : to separate from conducting bodies by means of nonconductors so as to prevent transfer of electricity, heat, or sound
Etymology

from Latin insula "island" — related to isle, isolate, peninsula

More from Merriam-Webster on insulate

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