isolate

1 of 3

verb

iso·​late ˈī-sə-ˌlāt How to pronounce isolate (audio)
 also  ˈi-
isolated; isolating

transitive verb

1
: to set apart from others
also : quarantine
2
: to select from among others
especially : to separate from another substance so as to obtain pure or in a free state
3
isolator
ˈī-sə-ˌlā-tər How to pronounce isolate (audio)
 also  ˈi-
noun

isolate

2 of 3

adjective

iso·​late ˈī-sə-lət How to pronounce isolate (audio) -ˌlāt How to pronounce isolate (audio)
 also  ˈi-
: being alone : solitary, isolated

isolate

3 of 3

noun

iso·​late ˈī-sə-lət How to pronounce isolate (audio) -ˌlāt How to pronounce isolate (audio)
 also  ˈi-
1
: an individual, population, strain, or culture obtained by or resulting from selection or separation
2
: an individual socially withdrawn or removed from society

Examples of isolate in a Sentence

Verb These policies will only serve to isolate the country politically and economically. Certain patients must be isolated in a separate ward. When he wants to work, he isolates himself in his office and won't talk to anyone. Scientists have isolated the gene that causes the disease. Noun interpersonal relationships are very stressful for him, so he lives as a virtual isolate
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Isolation Rules: The C.D.C. said that Americans with Covid or other respiratory infections need not isolate for five days before returning to work or school, in a striking sign of changing attitudes toward the coronavirus. Julie Bosman, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 In addition, each line of a comb can be isolated and have properties such as its amplitude modulated to carry data over fiber optics. IEEE Spectrum, 12 Mar. 2024 After declaring a state of emergency over COVID-19, Newsom launched Project Roomkey in April 2020 to help unhoused people safely isolate themselves in hotels and motels to prevent the virus from spreading. Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 After more people had fallen ill and died from her contaminated cuisine, she was arrested and isolated for a second time in 1915, with a sentence that lasted the rest of her life. Sabrina Sholts, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 An unlikely friendship begins, with the ensuing epidemic rendering them both isolated together. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 Winds will pick up some through the day, but wind gusts will be isolated. The Enquirer, 11 Mar. 2024 According to feng shui experts, ideal perches for any award are the office and living room, never isolated and instead surrounded by other accolades, decorative items and personal mementos. Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 Parents who were isolating couldn’t take care of their children. Ashish K. Jha, STAT, 6 Mar. 2024
Adjective
People who been in close contact with sick individuals can now self-isolate at home for five days. Karson Yiu, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2022 However, those who have tested positive still need to self-isolate and wear masks. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2022 The pair hosted a virtual bingo night for a senior living home, whose residents had to self-isolate in the living facility, and donated 110,000 masks to hospitals across rural Texas. Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 19 Oct. 2022 In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Arielle reportedly ignored shelter-in-place mandates to self-isolate in the Hamptons. Emily Burack, Town & Country, 7 Dec. 2022 They’re being required to remain on the farm and self-isolate with their household groups, with the local council arranging deliveries of food and essential supplies. BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2020 More than 2,000 people identified as contacts of Ebola patients have been ordered into makeshift isolation facilities or told to self-isolate at home. Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 8 Nov. 2022 The pandemic was rough having to self-isolate and continue working three full-time jobs as a social worker, grad student, and intern. Channy Ping, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2022 Billy Gilmour had a positive test, and two England players, Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were deemed close contacts and had to self-isolate. Steve Price, Forbes, 25 June 2022
Noun
Compared with compound proteins, isolates contain more protein and less fat, carbs, and lactose, the latter of which can cause GI distress and digestion issues for some, Dr. Titchenal explains. Jenny McCoy, Glamour, 2 Feb. 2024 But there can be a deep aesthetic of beauty, too, in the isolate, the singular, the solitary, no-longer-connected or not-yet-fitted. New York Times, 1 Feb. 2024 Some people prefer broad-spectrum for the potential entourage effect, while others choose isolates to avoid any trace elements of other cannabinoids. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2023 And a previous study showed that the drug was effective, when tested in a laboratory, against 13,000 drug-resistant gonorrhea isolates. Helen Branswell, STAT, 1 Nov. 2023 Full-spectrum contains multiple cannabinoids and terpenes, while isolate contains only pure CBD. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 20 Oct. 2023 These products are generally considered more beneficial than isolates. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 Sep. 2023 Products on the affordable end of the pricing spectrum use CBD isolate, which is just pure CBD. The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Sep. 2023 The whey protein is a combination of isolate, concentrate, and hydrolysate forms of whey. Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 28 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'isolate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from isolated set apart, from French isolé, from Italian isolato, from isola island, from Latin insula

First Known Use

Verb

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1819, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of isolate was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near isolate

Cite this Entry

“Isolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/isolate. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

isolate

verb
iso·​late
ˈī-sə-ˌlāt,
 also  ˈis-ə-
isolated; isolating
: to set or keep apart from others
Etymology

Verb

derived from French isolé (adjective) "isolated, set off from others," from Italian isola "island," from Latin insula "island" — related to insulate, isle, peninsula

Medical Definition

isolate

1 of 2 transitive verb
iso·​late ˈī-sə-ˌlāt How to pronounce isolate (audio)
isolated; isolating
: to set apart from others: as
a
: to separate (one with a contagious disease) from others not similarly infected
b
: to separate (as a chemical compound) from all other substances : obtain pure or in a free state

isolate

2 of 2 noun
iso·​late ˈī-sə-lət How to pronounce isolate (audio) -ˌlāt How to pronounce isolate (audio)
1
: an individual (as a spore or single organism), a viable part of an organism (as a cell), or a strain that has been isolated (as from diseased tissue, contaminated water, or the air)
also : a pure culture produced from such an isolate
2
: a relatively homogeneous population separated from related populations by geographic, biologic, or social factors or by human intervention
3
: a socially withdrawn individual

More from Merriam-Webster on isolate

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