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Glite Dictionary
to feel like an island

to feel like an island

7.9
To be alone even when other people are near
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : sentirse como una isla
  • I feel like an island.

Examples

  • Even surrounded by friends, he sometimes feels like an island during difficult times.

  • Despite the lively atmosphere at the party, Anna couldn't help but feel like an island.

  • After moving to a new country, Marta felt like an island without any close acquaintances.

  • Sometimes I feel like an island.

  • During the crowded party, I couldn't help but feel like an island as I sat alone in the corner.

  • Although surrounded by friends, she began to feel like an island, disconnected from everyone else.

  • Even in a busy café, he often feels like an island, lost in his own thoughts.

Synonyms

solitary
vsto feel like an island
191 4.6

Being alone and not with other people or things

is about an internal feeling of being alone among other people
loner
vsto feel like an island
79 4.2

A person who prefers to be alone and avoids spending time with others

describes feeling alone even when not choosing to be alone
isolated
vsto feel like an island
78 4.2

Feeling separated from other people and having little contact

emphasizes feeling alone even when surrounded by others
lonesome
vsto feel like an island
7 3.5

Alone and not near other people or things

means feeling alone even when surrounded by company
to feel like an alien
vsto feel like an island
  • Informal
2 7.0

To be out of place among the people around you

highlights loneliness even when physically among other people
set-apart
vsto feel like an island
1 6.7

Feeling separate from other people or different from them

refers to feeling alone even without physical separation from others
alienated
vsto feel like an island
6.8

Feeling alone and not part of a group or society

focuses on being alone even while among other people

Antonyms

to support each other
20 2.6

To help and encourage each other during difficult times

connected
2.5

In a close relationship with other people or groups

How Isolated

to feel like an island
  • Informal
7.9
isolated
56 3.8
cut off
23 4.4
lonely
777 1.0
alone
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

feel like an island infinitive
felt like an island past
felt like an island past participle
feeling like an island present participle
feels like an island third person singular

Morphology

feel + like + an + island

The simile structure 'feel like X' combined with the concrete noun 'island' (a landmass separated from others) makes the meaning 'to feel isolated' directly derivable from the constituents. This metaphor of an island = isolation is cross-linguistically common and follows a simple, transparent pattern that a B1 learner who knows the words would readily understand.

Etymology

Feel like an island may come from the image of a small island standing alone in the sea. An island is cut off by water and hard to reach, so if you 'feel like an island' you 'feel alone' or 'cut off' even when other people are near.