insulating
/ˈɪn.sjə.leɪt/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈɪnsəlˌetɪŋ] /ˈɪn.sə.leɪt/ (ame, ipa) · [ˈɪnsəlˌetɪŋ] /ˈin(t)-sə-ˌlāt/ (ame, mw) · /ˈɪnsjuleɪtɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈɪnsəlˌetɪŋ] /ˈɪnsəleɪtɪŋ/ (ame, ipa)
insulating — verb
- insulatingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- insulatings3rd person singular
- insulatinging-ing form
- insulatingedpast simple
1. to put a layer of material inside or around something so that heat, cold, sound,
to put a layer of material inside or around something so that heat, cold, sound, or electricity cannot easily pass through
Gabriela is insulating the old water pipes with thick foam sleeves this weekend.
be insulating + object + with + material
Owen spent all of Saturday insulating the attic floor with recycled denim.
The builders are insulating the basement walls before the cold weather arrives.
Nalini insulated her loft with rock wool last autumn and her January heating bill fell by nearly half.
Hui spent two weekends insulating his camper van for a winter road trip through the Canadian Rockies.
- soundproof
only for blocking sound, not heat or electricity
- lag
technical term used for wrapping pipes and boilers
- weatherproof
only for protecting against rain, wind, and outdoor conditions
- expose
to leave unprotected from heat, cold, or the elements
文法句型
be insulating + object
insulating + object + with + material
insulating + object + against/from + noun
用法筆記
The object is the thing being protected (a room, a pipe, a wall), not the thing being blocked. The insulating material is introduced with 'with', and what is being kept out is introduced with 'against' or 'from'.
常見錯誤
2. to protect someone from difficult experiences, unpleasant ideas, or harmful situ
to protect someone from difficult experiences, unpleasant ideas, or harmful situations by stopping those things from reaching them
Amira worries that insulating her daughter from every setback will make her fragile.
insulating + person + from + negative experience
The hospital trustees were accused of insulating the clinical director from complaints about the growing surgery backlog.
Fatima stopped insulating her teenage son from arguments about money at home.
William's parents believed insulating him from hardship was the best way to show love.
Javier eventually admitted he had been insulating his children from the full truth of the divorce.
- expose
to let someone face experiences or influences directly
文法句型
insulating + person + from + noun
insulating + person + from + verb-ing
用法筆記
Often carries a negative tone — suggests the protection is excessive or unhealthy, keeping someone from experiences they need in order to grow.
常見錯誤
3. to set a person or group apart from others so that there is no contact, communic
to set a person or group apart from others so that there is no contact, communication, or exchange between them
The lead researcher is insulating the control group from the test subjects this month.
Apinya has been insulating herself from her former colleagues since the promotion.
reflexive: insulating herself from + group
The Norwegian prison authority banned insulating inmates in solitary confinement from any human contact for more than fifteen days.
Darius noticed the older engineers insulating themselves from the graduate trainees.
The remote-working policy risks insulating the department heads from the daily struggles of junior staff on the factory floor.
文法句型
insulating + person + from + group
insulating + reflexive pronoun + from + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used with reflexive pronouns (insulating himself, insulating themselves). More formal than 'isolate' and often implies a deliberate social or organisational separation rather than a physical one.
常見錯誤
insulating — adjective
- insulatingpositive
- more insulatingcomparative
- most insulatingsuperlative
1. describes a substance or layer that stops heat, cold, sound, or electricity from
describes a substance or layer that stops heat, cold, sound, or electricity from moving through it
Sven lined the garden shed with insulating foam panels for the winter.
attributive: insulating + noun (foam panels)
The insulating layer inside this winter coat is made from thin goose down.
Indra bought an insulating mat for her sleeping bag on the camping trip.
The electrician replaced the worn insulating coating on every wire in the fuse box.
Justin prefers steel flasks because the insulating vacuum layer keeps drinks hot.
- thermal
specifically about heat; used for clothing, underwear, and building materials
- protective
broader term; can refer to any kind of protection, not just from energy transfer
- conductive
allowing heat or electricity to pass through easily
文法句型
insulating + noun
用法筆記
Always used before a noun (attributive position only). You cannot say 'the material is insulating'; use 'the material is an insulating one' or rephrase with the verb form.