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

Newsweek has created a map that lays bare the isolation of a South African research base in Antarctica where a team is reportedly trapped with a colleague who has become violent. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025

The isolation, being alone with relentless thoughts —that was worse than even extreme hunger. —Efrat Lachter, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025

As repairs happen, the pricing team, working in isolation, sees sudden demand for this new part and significantly increases its price. —Sean O'Neill, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025

Social isolation and rampant online misinformation combined to push many people into more extreme political positions – and in some cases, actions. —Jacob Turcotte, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar. 2025