# isolating

/ˈaɪsəˌɫeɪtɪŋ/ (US) · /ˈaɪsəlˌeɪtɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/isolating
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

making you feel alone or separated from other people. You use this to describe a situation or a place that keeps you away from friends and family.

For teachers: causing a person or group to feel detached or socially disconnected from others. Often describes environments, medical conditions, or social circumstances that prevent interaction.

## Examples

- Working from home can be very isolating if you live alone.
- The hospital's strict visitor policy, while necessary for safety, proved deeply isolating for the elderly patients.
- Sociologists argue that while digital platforms promise connection, the lack of physical presence can create an isolating experience that diminishes the quality of human relationships.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I feel very isolatedly" but "I feel very isolated" — Learners confuse the adjective 'isolating' (which describes the situation) with 'isolated' (which describes the person's feeling).

## Usage notes

- Often follows a linking verb like 'feel', 'become', or 'be'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.