isolate

/ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/

//ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"isolate" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“isolate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,000 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#13,000
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To set apart or cut off from others.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

isolate vs isolated
88% similar
isolate vs inflate
71% similar
isolate vs insulate
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for isolate
PropertyValue
Headwordisolate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#13,000
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “isolate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). isolate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for isolate is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,000 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for isolate, with forms such as "ioslate", "isloate", and "isoalte". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "isolated", "inflate", "insulate", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Back-formation from isolated, from French isolé, from Italian isolato, from Latin īnsulatus (whence also insulate), see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3). The correct English form is isolate, spelled I-S-O-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To set apart or cut off from others.
  2. 2
    To place in quarantine or isolation.
  3. 3
    To separate a substance in pure form from a mixture.
  4. 4
    To insulate, or make free of external influence.
  5. 5
    To separate a pure strain of bacteria etc. from a mixed culture.
  6. 6
    To insulate an electrical component from a source of electricity.
  7. 7
    To self-isolate.

Etymology

Back-formation from isolated, from French isolé, from Italian isolato, from Latin īnsulatus (whence also insulate), see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3).

This word in other languages

aislar(Español)isoler(Français)isolieren(Deutsch)isolar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ioslate,isloate,isoalte,isolaet,isolatte,isollate,isoltae,issolate,siolate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of isolate - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ioslate2isloate2isoalte2isolaet2isolatte1isollate1isoltae2issolate1
Edit distance from "isolate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "isolate"?
"isolate" is spelled I-S-O-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/.
What does "isolate" mean?
As a verb, "isolate" means: To set apart or cut off from others.
What words are commonly confused with "isolate"?
"isolate" is commonly confused with "isolated", "inflate", "insulate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "isolate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "isolate" is /ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "isolate"?
Back-formation from isolated, from French isolé, from Italian isolato, from Latin īnsulatus (whence also insulate), see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “isolate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-S-O-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “isolated” - see the side-by-side comparison. isolate vs isolated
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list