seclusion

noun

se·​clu·​sion si-ˈklü-zhən 

1

: the act of secluding : the condition of being secluded

2

: a secluded or isolated place

seclusive

si-ˈklü-siv 

-ziv

adjective

seclusively adverb

seclusiveness noun

Did you know?

With its prefix se-, "apart", seclusion has the basic meaning of a place or condition that's "closed away". A lone island may be secluded, and its seclusion might be what its owner prizes most about it. Presidents and their staffs may go into seclusion before making critical decisions. Monastery life is purposely secluded, and monks may have taken vows to live lives of seclusion. The deadly brown recluse spider prefers seclusion but is sometimes disturbed by very unlucky people.

Synonyms

• aloneness
• insulation
• isolation
• privacy
• secludedness
• segregation
• separateness
• sequestration
• solitariness
• solitude

Choose the Right Synonym for seclusion

solitude, isolation, seclusion mean the state of one who is alone.

solitude may imply a condition of being apart from all human beings or of being cut off by wish or circumstances from one's usual associates.

a few quiet hours of solitude

isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily.

the isolation of the village in winter

seclusion suggests a shutting away or keeping apart from others often connoting deliberate withdrawal from the world or retirement to a quiet life.

lived in pastoral seclusion

Examples of seclusion in a Sentence

the seclusion of women that occurs in some countries

I enjoyed the seclusion of the island.

Recent Examples on the Web

One student was restrained or secluded a startling 144 times — including 99 seclusions lasting over 15 hours total, the statement said. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 3 July 2024

Beyond disproportionate instances of restraint or seclusion, the investigation also found that almost half of the teachers employed at High Road did not have adequate teacher certification from the state of Connecticut or did not undergo proper background checks. —Jessika Harkay, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2024

Blixseth rejected the traditional ski-town model that attracted middle-class families for single vacations, having realized that the real money was in luxury real estate, where the wealthiest people in the world would pay huge sums for amenities, belonging, and above all, seclusion. —Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024

Set on five acres of land that abuts 100 acres of preserve, which provides extreme privacy and seclusion, the ultra-modern pavilion is only five minutes away from the center of Joshua Tree. —Laura Euler For Dirt.com, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin seclusion-, seclusio, from Latin secludere

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing seclusion

• in seclusion

Kids Definition

seclusion

noun

se·​clu·​sion si-ˈklü-zhən 

1

: the act of secluding : the state of being secluded

2

: a secluded place

seclusive

-siv 

-ziv

adjective

seclusively adverb

seclusiveness noun