1 insulate | Definition of insulate

insulate

verb
in·​su·​late | \ ˈin(t)-sə-ˌlāt How to pronounce insulate (audio) \
insulated; insulating

Definition of insulate

transitive verb

: to place in a detached situation : isolate especially : to separate from conducting bodies by means of nonconductors so as to prevent transfer of electricity, heat, or sound

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Examples of insulate in a Sentence

They used a special type of fiberglass to insulate the attic. a material that is able to insulate against cold The company has tried to insulate itself from the region's political turmoil. I wish I could insulate my children from painful experiences.
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Recent Examples on the Web

That, and Boeing’s decision to maintain production, has insulated them from a bigger fallout. The Economist, "Boeing’s troubles cost the aerospace industry $4bn a quarter," 22 Aug. 2019 This method can more effectively insulate hot spots on a cell phone than a glass sheet that's about 100 times thicker. Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, "This Science Hack Could Prevent Your Phone from Overheating," 22 Aug. 2019 The two solo shots also insulated the Royals when the Orioles tried to stage a rally in the bottom of the seventh. Peter Schmuck, baltimoresun.com, "John Means flirts with no-hitter, but Royals wake up and send Orioles to eighth straight loss, 5-4," 20 Aug. 2019 Professional equity managers are insulating their portfolios, but for the most part, fear of missing out is beating out fear of getting decimated. Los Angeles Times, "Newsletter: Today: Is the recycling crisis our wake-up call?," 15 Aug. 2019 Distributors, for their part, insulate their operations with layers of middlemen. Annie Correal, New York Times, "‘She Was Like You and Me’: A Death and Life in the Bronx Opioid Crisis," 9 Aug. 2019 Its design in 1913 and restructuring in 1935 centered around keeping the Fed insulated from political pressures. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, "Edward Lotterman: Hooray for complexity in the Federal Reserve’s structure," 3 Aug. 2019 The stone insulates the ice to keep the fish cold and wipes clean at the end of every day. Naomi Tomky, Fortune, "What You Should Know About Italy’s New Food Capital," 28 July 2019 These days, as the money and the notoriety have grown and the schedule has expanded, the drivers have insulated themselves from the fans. Mike Bianchi, orlandosentinel.com, "Rain-postponed Coke Zero Sugar 400 is proof that Fourth of July racing in Daytona lost its identity years ago | Commentary," 6 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'insulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of insulate

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for insulate

Latin insula

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More Definitions for insulate

insulate

verb

English Language Learners Definition of insulate

: to add a material or substance to (something) in order to stop heat, electricity, or sound from going into or out of it
: to prevent (someone or something) from dealing with or experiencing something : to keep (someone or something) separate from something unpleasant, dangerous, etc.

insulate

verb
in·​su·​late | \ ˈin-sə-ˌlāt How to pronounce insulate (audio) \
insulated; insulating

Kids Definition of insulate

1 : to separate from others : isolate At home he insulates himself from the city.
2 : to separate a conductor of electricity, heat, or sound from other conductors by means of something that does not allow the passage of electricity, heat, or sound insulated electrical wire

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More from Merriam-Webster on insulate

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with insulate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for insulate

Spanish Central: Translation of insulate

Nglish: Translation of insulate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of insulate for Arabic Speakers