isolate
gb/ˈaɪsəlˌeɪt/ us/ˈaɪsəlˌeɪt/
B1
English
~ 3800
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
Separate from others
To keep a person or thing away from other people or things.
Usage pattern:
to isolate [someone/something] from [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'isolate' with 'insulate', which means to protect from heat, cold, or noise rather than to separate socially or physically.
Synonyms
separate (A more general term without the strong sense of complete detachment.)
|
quarantine (Used mostly in medical contexts for keeping someone away to prevent disease spread.)
Antonyms
integrate (Means to bring together into a group or system, opposite of separating.)
Collocations
isolate a patient
|isolate a problem
|isolate someone from society
|completely isolate
|physically isolate
Themes
health
|safety
|social
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The lab worked quickly to isolate the infected animals.
- She felt the need to isolate herself from the noisy group.
- Engineers managed to isolate the faulty component in the system.
- The government decided to isolate the region to contain the outbreak.
Learner examples
- The doctor will isolate the sick man.
- I want to isolate my work from my home life.
- They isolate the problem before fixing it.
- We isolate the dog so it does not bite.
Verb
technical
B2
action
2
Extract a pure substance
To take one substance or thing away from a mix so it is by itself.
Usage pattern:
to isolate [substance/organism] from [source]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with the general social sense of 'isolate'; context often makes it clear that this is scientific.
Synonyms
extract (Focuses on removal, not necessarily purity.)
|
purify (Focuses on making something free from contamination rather than just separating it.)
Antonyms
combine (Means to mix things together, opposite of obtaining something pure.)
Collocations
isolate bacteria
|isolate DNA
|isolate cells
|isolate a gene
Themes
science
|medicine
|research
|technology
Examples
- Scientists were able to isolate the virus from the blood samples.
- The chemist isolated the compound for further study.
- Researchers isolated stem cells from the tissue.
Learner examples
- They can isolate the virus in the lab.
- The scientist will isolate the salt from water.
- We isolate DNA to study it.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
3
Separated entity for study/safety
A person, animal, or thing that is kept alone for study or safety.
Synonyms
sample (A general term for a part taken for study; may not imply separation.)
Collocations
a bacterial isolate
|clinical isolate
|genetic isolate
Themes
science
|medicine
|health
Examples
- The laboratory tested several bacterial isolates for resistance.
- Each isolate was stored in a separate container.
- The researcher compared isolates from different regions.
Learner examples
- The lab studied the virus isolate.
- Each isolate is in a safe box.
- They keep the isolate away from people.
Grammar
Dictionary form
isolate
IPA
GB/ˈaɪsəlˌeɪt/
US/ˈaɪsəlˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
isol - ate (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (isol)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: isolate
- Plural: isolates
Verb
- Base: isolate
- 3rd Person Singular: isolates
- Present Participle: isolating
- Past: isolated
Word family
Forms
isolates
noun
isolating
verb
isolated
verb
Core family
isolation
noun B1
Advanced or less common
isolator
noun
Expressions
feel isolated
1/fˈil ˈaɪsəlˌeɪtɪd/
fixed phrase
Feel alone or cut off socially
To feel lonely and apart from other people.
Examples
- After moving to a new city, she began to feel isolated.
- He felt isolated when his friends stopped talking to him.
self-isolate
1/sˈɛlf ˈaɪsəlˌeɪt/
fixed phrase
Stay apart due to illness risk
To keep yourself away from other people so you do not spread an illness.
Examples
- People with symptoms are asked to self-isolate for five days.
- She decided to self-isolate after testing positive.
in isolation
1/ˈɪn ˌaɪsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
on its own, without context
used to say that something is looked at or happens alone, without other things that are normally connected to it
Examples
- These figures look bad in isolation, but the overall picture is improving.
- In isolation, this decision seems strange, but it makes sense as part of the wider plan.
- The quote sounds harsh in isolation, but the full interview tells a different story.
in isolation
2/ˈɪn ˌaɪsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Separately from others
Not together with other things or people; alone.
Examples
- You can't judge this problem in isolation; you need the full context.
- The data should not be viewed in isolation.