To isolate something means to separate it from other things or keep it alone. Scientists isolate a single chemical from a mixture to study it closely. A teacher might isolate a troublesome student by moving their desk away from others. During a contagious illness, doctors isolate sick patients to prevent the disease from spreading.

You can isolate a problem to figure out what's causing it, like unplugging devices one by one to find which one keeps tripping the circuit breaker. Athletes sometimes isolate specific muscles during exercise, working just their biceps or just their calves.

Isolation is the state of being isolated. Someone in isolation might feel lonely because they're cut off from friends and family. A remote research station in Antarctica exists in isolation from the rest of civilization. While isolation sometimes happens by choice (a writer isolating themself to finish a novel), it can also be involuntary or necessary for health reasons.