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

Anti-Trans Laws Led Them to Flee Chop had just lost his grandmother, mother, and uncle in rapid succession, and in July 2019, was open to media personality DJ Small Eyez about how the weight of their losses and feelings of isolation after cutting people off led him toward depression and anxiety. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2025

Meanwhile, Hoet explains that isolation is a clear sign that something may be wrong. —Sherri Gordon, Parents, 24 Feb. 2025

Russia’s deputy foreign minister on Saturday said preparations were underway for a meeting between Trump and Putin, a further sign that the Russian leader’s isolation from the U.S. was beginning to thaw under Trump. —Justin Spike and Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2025

Each mattress was assessed for unique features, such as dual-sided designs, cooling properties, and motion isolation. —Jaylyn Pruitt, Health, 21 Feb. 2025