Insulated means protected from heat, cold, sound, or other outside forces by a barrier that slows their movement. When your winter jacket keeps you warm, its puffy filling insulates you from the freezing air. When a house has insulation in its walls, the fluffy material traps air to keep heat inside during winter and outside during summer.

A thermos insulates hot soup so it stays warm for hours. Double-paned windows insulate homes by trapping air between two layers of glass. Even your body has natural insulation: fat under your skin helps keep you warm.

Insulated can also mean sheltered or protected from unpleasant realities or experiences. Someone who grows up insulated from hardship might not understand how difficult life can be for others. A person might be insulated from criticism by friends who never point out their mistakes. While some protection is good, being too insulated from challenges can leave you unprepared when difficulties arise.

The noun form is insulation, and the verb form is insulate. When you insulate something, you're creating a buffer between it and the outside world.