Definitions

isolate

[ahy-suh-leyt, ahy-suh-lit, -leyt] / ˈaɪ səˌleɪt, ˈaɪ sə lɪt, -ˌleɪt /

VERB

cut off, set apart

Synonyms

STRONGEST

confine detach disconnect disengage divide insulate remove segregate separate sequester

STRONG

abstract divorce part quarantine seclude sever sunder

WEAK

block off close off island keep apart

Antonyms

STRONGEST

attach combine connect couple desegregate gather join link unite

WEAK

include incorporate integrate mingle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For example, the process often involves separating the insects by sex to isolate the males.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

These particles selectively isolate lithium from other dissolved minerals.

From Science Daily • May 31, 2026

Researchers who have tried to isolate the performance of momentum stocks have found reliable evidence that the strategy tends to outperform over time.

From MarketWatch • May 30, 2026

They say that their staff are helping to isolate and triage children arriving at hospitals where such measures are lacking.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

They weren’t absolutely at the mercy of their merciless climate any longer; a bad harvest would not starve a whole province, or a bad winter isolate every city.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Vocabulary lists containing isolate

Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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List 15

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Vocabulary from "Community is the 'killer app' missing from virtual reality" by Dmitri Williams

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