isolated

isolated — adjective

1. An isolated place is very far from towns, cities, or other settlements, so that

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

An isolated place is very far from towns, cities, or other settlements, so that reaching it or getting supplies requires a long journey.

Example

The farmhouse was so isolated that the nearest shop was a two-hour drive away.

collocation: isolated farmhouse

Tariq's family lived in an isolated village high up in the mountains.

collocation: isolated village

Common collocations
  • isolated village
  • isolated beach
  • isolated farmhouse
  • isolated region
  • isolated spot
  • isolated island
  • isolated building
Synonyms
  • remote

    Emphasises great distance from civilisation; slightly more formal than isolated.

  • secluded

    Suggests a place is deliberately hidden or sheltered, often for privacy.

  • out-of-the-way

    Informal; describes a place that is inconvenient to reach.

  • off-grid

    Describes a property not connected to public utilities, often in a remote area.

Antonyms
  • central

    In the middle of a built-up area; easy to reach.

  • accessible

    Easy to get to or enter.

Grammar Patterns

isolated + noun

isolated from + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often used to describe rural or wilderness locations. The preposition 'from' introduces what the place is separated from.

Common Mistakes

The tall building looked isolated in the city centre.
The tall building stood alone in the city centre.
An isolated place must be far from other buildings or people, not simply surrounded by them.

2. An isolated event, case, or action happens only once and is not connected to oth

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

An isolated event, case, or action happens only once and is not connected to other similar events, so it does not indicate a wider pattern.

Example

The police said this was an isolated attack and there was no further danger to the public.

collocation: isolated attack

Apart from one isolated case of flu, the school had a perfectly healthy term.

collocation: isolated case of [illness]

Common collocations
  • isolated incident
  • isolated case
  • isolated example
  • isolated occurrence
  • isolated event
  • isolated instance
  • isolated attack
  • isolated mistake
Synonyms
  • single

    Neutral, factual; does not carry the nuance of being unrelated to a broader pattern.

  • one-off

    Informal; describes something made or happening only once.

  • unique

    Stronger than isolated; emphasises that something is unlike anything else.

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

isolated + [event/occurrence noun]

an isolated + noun

Usage Note

This sense is used only before a noun — you cannot say 'the attack was isolated' to mean 'it happened once'. Use 'single' or 'one-off' instead for predicative position.

Common Mistakes

The problem with the computer was isolated.
The problem with the computer was an isolated case.
When describing a one-time event, 'isolated' must go before a noun; use 'single' or 'one-off' alone after a verb.

3. Feeling miserable and solitary because you rarely see other people or talk to th

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

Feeling miserable and solitary because you rarely see other people or talk to them, or because you have been cut off from the community you were part of.

Example

After moving to a new country, Maeve felt isolated and missed her old friends terribly.

feel isolated — emotional state

The elderly man became isolated after his wife passed away and his children moved abroad.

become isolated — change of state

Common collocations
  • feel isolated
  • become isolated
  • live an isolated life
  • socially isolated
  • increasingly isolated
  • isolated from friends
  • isolated from family
  • isolated from society
Synonyms
  • lonely

    Focuses on the emotional pain of wanting companionship; more personal and everyday than isolated.

  • alone

    Simply states that no other people are present; does not necessarily carry negative emotion.

  • withdrawn

    Describes a person who chooses to avoid social contact, often due to personality or mood.

Antonyms
  • connected

    Having strong social ties and regular contact with others.

  • included

    Feeling part of a group or community.

Grammar Patterns

feel isolated

become isolated

isolated from + noun phrase

socially isolated

Usage Note

Typically used of people rather than animals or objects. 'Isolated' here describes a subjective emotional state, unlike sense 1 (physical distance) — a person can feel isolated in a crowded city if they lack meaningful relationships.

Common Mistakes

He felt isolated but he was surrounded by classmates.
He felt isolated at his new school because he had not made any friends yet.
Feeling isolated implies a real lack of connection, not simply being in a crowd.

Word family

  • isolate
    verbB1
  • isolation
    nounB2
  • isolating
    adjectiveB2
  • isolationist
    nounC1
  • isolationism
    nounC1
  • isolatedly
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/3

Lonely and isolated both describe a lack of connection with others, but they differ in focus: lonely centres on the emotional pain of wanting company but not having it, while isolated emphasises the objective condition of being separated from others. You can feel lonely in a crowd, but you feel isolated when you genuinely lack social contact. Alone is purely factual — it means no other people are present — and carries no necessary negative feeling; many people enjoy being alone. Withdrawn describes a personality trait or temporary mood where a person deliberately avoids social contact, often due to shyness or depression. Solitary can describe a chosen lifestyle (a solitary writer) or a forced state (solitary confinement), giving it a wider range than isolated. For example: 'After her divorce, Sofia felt lonely even at family gatherings, but when she moved to a new city where she knew nobody, she felt truly isolated.'

lonely ↗isolated ↗alone ↗withdrawnsolitary ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • geographically isolated
  • socially isolated
  • increasingly isolated
  • relatively isolated
  • completely isolated
  • totally isolated
  • politically isolated

Phrases

  • isolated from society
  • isolated from the rest of the world
  • isolated from the mainland
  • isolated from the community

Prepositions

  • isolated from — indicates what a person, place, or event is separated from

Etymology

LatinItalianEnglish

Isolated comes from the Italian word 'isolato', meaning 'separated like an island'. The Italian word traces back to Latin 'insulatus' (made into an island), which comes from 'insula' (island). English borrowed 'isolated' in the late 1700s, first using it to describe places cut off from others, and later expanding it to events and emotions.