Ask Difference

Desolate vs. Isolate — What's the Difference?

By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 3, 2024
Desolate emphasizes abandonment and a sense of emptiness, while isolate focuses on separation from others or surroundings.
Desolate vs. Isolate — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Desolate and Isolate

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Key Differences

Desolate conveys a strong sense of emptiness and abandonment, often imbued with loneliness or desolation, reflecting an area devoid of life or activity. Isolate, on the other hand, refers to the act of separating someone or something from other entities, focusing on the state of being alone or apart from others. This separation can be physical, social, or emotional.
While desolate often evokes images of barren landscapes or places devoid of human presence, indicating a lack of comfort or hope, isolate emphasizes the process or condition of being set apart. Isolation can be chosen or imposed, affecting individuals or objects, and it does not inherently convey the emotional or physical desolation that desolate does.
Desolate can also describe feelings of profound loneliness and despair, going beyond physical emptiness to touch upon emotional states. Meanwhile, isolate, as a verb, involves actions taken to separate or set something apart, and as an adjective (isolated), it describes the state resulting from this action, without necessarily implying emotional despair.
In literature and art, desolate settings often serve as a backdrop for stories of survival, loss, or existential crisis, underscoring the emotional and psychological states of characters. Isolation, however, is frequently explored in the context of individuality, social dynamics, and the human condition, focusing on the effects of being separated from a community or society.
The usage of desolate and isolate also differs grammatically; desolate is commonly used as an adjective describing places or states of mind, whereas isolate can function as both a verb and an adjective, describing actions of separation and the conditions or instances of being alone.
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Comparison Chart

Part of Speech

Adjective
Verb (to isolate), Adjective (isolated)

Connotation

Emptiness, abandonment, loneliness
Separation, apartness

Typical Context

Landscapes, emotional states
Physical or social separation

Emotional Tone

Often negative, suggesting despair
Neutral or negative, depending on context

Usage

Describing places or feelings of emptiness and solitude
Describing the action of separating or state of being apart

Compare with Definitions

Desolate

Abandoned and lonely.
The house stood desolate, a relic of times past.

Isolate

To separate from others.
The patient was isolated due to the contagious disease.

Desolate

Barren or lifeless.
The explorers found themselves in a desolate landscape.

Isolate

To set apart.
The scientist isolated the compound for further study.

Desolate

Bereft of companionship.
After the tragedy, she felt utterly desolate.

Isolate

Alone, separated.
The island was isolated by rough seas.

Desolate

Feeling of hopelessness.
His heart grew desolate at the news.

Isolate

To single out.
The teacher isolated the problem in the equation.

Desolate

Lacking in activity.
The streets were desolate after the storm.

Isolate

To cause to be alone or apart, as in being inaccessible or unable to move about
The police isolated the area until more help could arrive.

Desolate

(of a place) uninhabited and giving an impression of bleak emptiness
A desolate Pennine moor

Isolate

To place in quarantine.

Desolate

Feeling or showing great unhappiness or loneliness
I suddenly felt desolate and bereft

Isolate

To cause to become socially or politically unengaged or ostracized
An immigrant who was isolated by his poor language skills.

Desolate

Make (a place) appear bleakly empty
The droughts that desolated the dry plains

Isolate

To render free of external influence; insulate
A system of government that isolated its citizens from foreign ideas.

Desolate

Make (someone) feel utterly wretched and unhappy
He was desolated by the deaths of his treasured friends

Isolate

To identify or distinguish as a separate entity or group
The study tried to isolate the effects of changing schools on student performance.

Desolate

Devoid of inhabitants; deserted
"streets which were usually so thronged now grown desolate" (Daniel Defoe).

Isolate

(Chemistry) To separate (a substance) in pure form from a combined mixture.

Desolate

Barren; lifeless
The rocky, desolate surface of the moon.

Isolate

(Microbiology) To separate (a pure strain of a microorganism or virus) from a mixed culture.

Desolate

Feeling, showing, causing, or expressing sadness or loneliness.

Isolate

(Psychology) To separate (experiences or memories) from the emotions relating to them.

Desolate

To rid or deprive of inhabitants.

Isolate

To set apart (a component, circuit, or system) from a source of electricity.

Desolate

To lay waste; devastate
"Here we have no wars to desolate our fields" (Michel Guillaume Jean de Crèvecoeur).

Isolate

To insulate or shield.

Desolate

To forsake; abandon.

Isolate

Separated from others
An isolate population.

Desolate

To make lonely, forlorn, or wretched.

Isolate

A person, thing, or group that has been isolated, as by geographic, ecologic, or social barriers.

Desolate

Deserted and devoid of inhabitants.
A desolate isle; a desolate wilderness; a desolate house

Isolate

(Microbiology) A population of microorganisms or viruses that has been isolated.

Desolate

Barren and lifeless.

Isolate

(Linguistics) A language isolate.

Desolate

Made unfit for habitation or use because of neglect, destruction etc.
Desolate altars

Isolate

(transitive) To set apart or cut off from others.

Desolate

Dismal or dreary.

Isolate

(transitive) To place in quarantine or isolation.

Desolate

Sad, forlorn and hopeless.
He was left desolate by the early death of his wife.

Isolate

To separate a substance in pure form from a mixture.

Desolate

To deprive of inhabitants.

Isolate

(transitive) To insulate, or make free of external influence.

Desolate

To devastate or lay waste somewhere.

Isolate

To separate a pure strain of bacteria etc. from a mixed culture.

Desolate

To abandon or forsake something.

Isolate

(transitive) To insulate an electrical component from a source of electricity.

Desolate

To make someone sad, forlorn and hopeless.

Isolate

(intransitive) To self-isolate.

Desolate

Destitute or deprived of inhabitants; deserted; uninhabited; hence, gloomy; as, a desolate isle; a desolate wilderness; a desolate house.
I will make Jerusalem . . . a den of dragons, and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
And the silvery marish flowers that throngThe desolate creeks and pools among.

Isolate

Something that has been isolated.

Desolate

Laid waste; in a ruinous condition; neglected; destroyed; as, desolate altars.

Isolate

To place in a detached situation; to place by itself or alone; to insulate; to separate from others; as, to isolate an infected person from others; to isolate the troublemakers in a classroom.
Short isolated sentences were the mode in which ancient wisdom delighted to convey its precepts.

Desolate

Left alone; forsaken; lonely; comfortless.
Have mercy upon, for I am desolate.
Voice of the poor and desolate.

Isolate

To insulate. See Insulate.

Desolate

Lost to shame; dissolute.

Isolate

To separate from all foreign substances; to make pure; to obtain in a free state; as, to isolate the desired product from a reaction mixture.

Desolate

Destitute of; lacking in.
I were right now of tales desolate.

Isolate

Something that has been isolated; as, an isolate of a powerful antibiotic from a tropical plant; an isolate of tuberculosis bacillus from an infected patient.

Desolate

To make desolate; to leave alone; to deprive of inhabitants; as, the earth was nearly desolated by the flood.

Isolate

Place or set apart;
They isolated the political prisoners from the other inmates

Desolate

To lay waste; to ruin; to ravage; as, a fire desolates a city.
Constructed in the very heart of a desolating war.

Isolate

Obtain in pure form;
The chemist managed to isolate the compound

Desolate

Leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch;
The mother deserted her children

Isolate

Set apart from others;
The dentist sequesters the tooth he is working on

Desolate

Reduce in population;
The epidemic depopulated the countryside

Isolate

Separate (experiences) fromt he emotions relating to them

Desolate

Devastate or ravage;
The enemy lay waste to the countryside after the invasion

Desolate

Providing no shelter or sustenance;
Bare rocky hills
Barren lands
The bleak treeless regions of the high Andes
The desolate surface of the moon
A stark landscape

Desolate

Pitiable in circumstances especially through abandonment;
Desolate and despairing
Left forlorn

Desolate

Crushed by grief;
Depressed and desolate of soul
A low desolate wail

Desolate

Made uninhabitable;
Upon this blasted heath
A wasted landscape

Common Curiosities

Is desolation an emotional state?

Yes, desolation can describe an emotional state of profound loneliness and despair.

Can a place be both desolate and isolated?

Yes, a place can be both desolate (empty and abandoned) and isolated (separated from others), enhancing the sense of solitude.

What does desolate mean?

Desolate refers to a state of emptiness, abandonment, or solitude, often conveying feelings of loneliness or bleakness.

What does it mean to isolate someone?

To isolate someone means to separate them from others, often for health, safety, or personal reasons.

Can isolation be positive?

Sometimes, isolation can be positive if it's chosen for personal growth, reflection, or creativity.

How do writers use the concept of being desolate?

Writers use desolation to create atmospheres, highlight characters’ emotional states, or underscore themes of abandonment.

What are the implications of isolating a substance in science?

Isolating a substance allows scientists to study its properties or effects independently from other variables.

How does isolate differ from desolate?

Isolate focuses on separation from others or surroundings, while desolate emphasizes a sense of emptiness and abandonment.

Can desolate be used to describe feelings?

Yes, desolate can describe deep feelings of loneliness or despair.

Is desolate always negative?

Desolate often carries a negative connotation, but it can also evoke a sense of peaceful solitude in some contexts.

What are the common reasons for isolation?

Common reasons include health issues, safety measures, personal choice, or societal punishment.

How does society view isolation?

Society’s view on isolation varies; it can be seen as necessary for health or safety but also as socially and emotionally challenging.

Is isolation always physical?

No, isolation can also be emotional or social, referring to a feeling of being disconnected from others.

Can isolation lead to desolation?

Yes, prolonged isolation can lead to feelings of desolation, as the lack of social interaction or support can exacerbate loneliness and despair.

How do isolation and desolation affect individuals?

Both can deeply impact an individual’s mental and emotional state, potentially leading to feelings of loneliness, despair, or self-reflection.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.

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