rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryisolatedSeparated
adjective

isolated

EYE-suh-lay-tid/ˈaɪsəleɪtɪd/

Separated from surrounding people or occurrences.

An isolated house stands on a tiny island across from the mainland.

A single small house stands on a tiny offshore island, visibly separated by a broad stretch of water from a compact cluster of houses on the mainland.
Etymology
isolLatinisland
+atedLatinmade into

The original image is being “made into an island”: standing apart from everything around it. That image extends to people or things separated from others of their kind.

In context

NPT Reports0:37
Totally isolated, everything's built for isolation and loneliness, really. (relaxing music) - [Narrator] Many Tennessee adults 65 years and older experience social isolation.
Loneliness & Isolation | Aging Matters | NPT Reports

More examples

  • She feels isolated when everyone else speaks a different language.
  • The error is an isolated incident, not a recurring problem.
  • The storm brings isolated showers to a few neighborhoods.

Forms

isolated

isolate verb — To separate from other people or things.

isolation noun — The state of being apart from others.

Similar words

separate
Means distinct or apart, without necessarily being alone.
remote
Emphasizes distance from populated places rather than separation itself.
solitary
Emphasizes being alone, rather than cut off from others.