Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense isolates, present participle isolating, past tense, past participle isolated
1. verb
To isolate a person or organization means to cause them to lose their friends or supporters.
This policy could isolate the country from the other permanent members of the UnitedNations Security Council. [VERB noun + from]
Political influence is being used to shape public opinion and isolate critics. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: separate, break up, cut off, detach More Synonyms of isolate
isolatedadjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
They are finding themselves increasingly isolated within the teaching profession.
Synonyms: solitary, withdrawn, lonely, sheltered More Synonyms of isolate
isolation (aɪsəleɪʃən)uncountable noun
Diplomatic isolation could lead to economic disaster.
...the public isolation of the Prime Minister.
2. verb
If you isolateyourself, or if something isolates you, you become physically or socially separated from other people.
When he was thinking out a problem Tweed's habit was never to isolate himself inhis room. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
His radicalism and refusal to compromise isolated him. [VERB noun]
Police officers had a siege mentality that isolated them from the people they served. [VERB noun + from]
But of course no one lives totally alone, isolated from the society around them. [VERB-ed]
3. verb
If you isolate something such as an idea or a problem, you separate it from others that it is connected with, so that you can concentrate on it or consider it on its own.
Our anxieties can also be controlled by isolating thoughts, feelings and memories. [VERB noun]
Gandhi said that those who isolate religion from politics don't understand the natureof either. [VERB noun + from]
4. verb
To isolate a substance means to obtain it by separating it from other substances using scientific processes.
[technical]
We can use genetic engineering techniques to isolate the gene that is responsible. [VERB noun]
Researchers have isolated a new protein from the seeds of poppies. [VERB noun + from]
...the chemical isolated from brain tissue. [VERB-ed]
5. verb
To isolate a sick person or animal means to keep them apart from other people or animals, so that their illness does not spread.
She had swine flu and was isolated from her children. [beV-ed from n]
You don't have to isolate them from the community. [VERB noun + from]
[Also VERB noun]
More Synonyms of isolate
isolate in British English
verb (ˈaɪsəˌleɪt)(transitive)
1.
to place apart; cause to be alone
2. medicine
to quarantine (a person or animal having or suspected of having a contagious disease)
3.
to obtain (a compound) in an uncombined form
4.
to obtain pure cultures of (bacteria, esp those causing a particular disease)
5. electronics
to prevent interaction between (circuits, components, etc); insulate
noun (ˈaɪsəlɪt)
6.
an isolated person or group
Derived forms
isolable (ˈisolable) or isolatable (ˈisoˌlatable)
adjective
isolability (ˌisolaˈbility)
noun
isolator (ˈisoˌlator)
noun
Word origin
C19: back formation from isolated, via Italian from Latin insulātus, literally: made into an island; see insulate
isolate in American English
(ˈaɪsəˌleɪt; for n., usually, aɪsəlɪtlɪt)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈisoˌlated or ˈisoˌlating
1.
to set apart from others; place alone
2. Chemistry
to separate (an element or compound) in pure form from substances with which it is combined or mixed
3. Medicine
to place (a patient) apart from others to prevent the spread of infection
4. Microbiology
to grow a pure culture of (a microbe), usually as individual colonies on a solid medium
adjective
5.
of or relating to someone or something that is set apart
noun
6.
a person or group that is set apart
7. Psychology and Sociology
a person who is separated from normal social activity, as through choice, rejection, psychological problems, etc.
Derived forms
isolable (ˈisolable) (ˈaɪsələbəl; ˈɪsələbəl)
adjective
isolator (ˈisoˌlator)
noun
Word origin
back-form. < isolated < It isolato, pp. of isolare, to isolate < isola < L insula, island: see isle
Examples of 'isolate' in a sentence
isolate
What you're going to do is isolate the limb with a tourniquet for two reasons... `
Brierley, David SNOWLINE (2001)
She couldn't identify the glue formulae, which were too similar to isolate any single box company.
Duncan, Robert L THE SERPENT'S MARK (2001)
Perhaps the idea was to isolate the story to give it all the more impact later.
McKewan, Ian THE INNOCENT (2001)
In other languages
isolate
British English: isolate VERB
To isolate a person or organization means to cause them to lose their friends or supporters.
Political influence is being used to isolate critics.
American English: isolate
Brazilian Portuguese: isolar
Chinese: 孤立
European Spanish: aislar
French: isoler
German: isolieren
Italian: isolare
Japanese: 孤立させる
Korean: 고립시키다
European Portuguese: isolar
Latin American Spanish: aislar
Chinese translation of 'isolate'
isolate
(ˈaɪsəleɪt)
vt
[person, country]孤立 (gūlì)
[substance, sick person, animal]隔离(離) (gélí)
1 (verb)
Definition
to place apart or alone
This policy could isolate members from the UN security council.
Synonyms
separate
Her parents separated when she was very young.
break up
My partner and I have broken up.
cut off
detach
Detach the bottom part from the form and keep it for reference.
split up
I was beginning to think that we would never split up.
insulate
Their wealthy families had insulated them from reality.
segregate
They segregate you from the rest of the party.
disconnect
He disconnected the bottle from the overhead hook.
divorce
Most of our investors are able to divorce themselves from the emotional side of business.
sequester
This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.
set apart
disunite
estrange
2 (verb)
Definition
to quarantine (a person or animal) with a contagious disease
Patients will be isolated for one month after treatment.
Synonyms
quarantine
It is sensible to quarantine all new plants for a week or two.
separate
What separates terrorism from other acts of violence?
exclude
cut off
detach
Gerda gently detached her wrists from her friend's fingers.
keep in solitude
Additional synonyms
in the sense of break up
Definition
to put an end to (a relationship) or (of a relationship) to come to an end
My partner and I have broken up.
Synonyms
split up,
separate,
part,
divorce,
part company,
get divorced,
end a relationship
in the sense of detach
Definition
to disengage and separate
Detach the bottom part from the form and keep it for reference.
Synonyms
separate,
free,
remove,
divide,
isolate,
cut off,
sever,
loosen,
segregate,
disconnect,
tear off,
disengage,
disentangle,
unfasten,
disunite,
uncouple,
unhitch,
disjoin,
unbridle
in the sense of detach
Definition
to disengage and separate
Gerda gently detached her wrists from her friend's fingers.
Synonyms
free,
remove,
separate,
isolate,
cut off,
segregate,
disengage
Synonyms of 'isolate'
isolate
Explore 'isolate' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of disconnect
Definition
to undo or break the connection between (two things)
He disconnected the bottle from the overhead hook.
Synonyms
detach,
separate,
undo,
part,
divide,
sever,
disengage,
take apart,
unhook,
unfasten,
uncouple,
unhitch
in the sense of disunite
Synonyms
separate,
part,
split,
divide,
disrupt,
detach,
sever,
disband,
segregate,
disconnect,
disengage,
sunder,
disjoin
in the sense of divorce
Definition
to remove or separate
Most of our investors are able to divorce themselves from the emotional side of business.
Synonyms
separate,
divide,
isolate,
detach,
distance,
sever,
disconnect,
dissociate,
set apart,
disunite,
sunder
in the sense of insulate
Definition
to isolate or set apart
Their wealthy families had insulated them from reality.
Synonyms
isolate,
protect,
screen,
defend,
shelter,
shield,
cut off,
cushion,
cocoon,
close off,
sequester,
wrap up in cotton wool
in the sense of segregate
Definition
to set apart from others or from the main group
They segregate you from the rest of the party.
Synonyms
set apart,
divide,
separate,
isolate,
single out,
discriminate against,
dissociate
in the sense of sequester
Definition
to seclude
This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.
Synonyms
isolate,
cut off,
seclude,
retire,
withdraw,
set apart,
shut away
in the sense of split up
Definition
(of a group of people) to go off in different directions
I was beginning to think that we would never split up.