sequester
/sɪˈkwes.tə/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To keep something apart from others, or to take it away and hold it safely. In law, it can also mean to take property or money until a case is decided.
- The court may sequester the property during the case.
- Please sequester the samples in a separate box.
- They sequestered the witness from the media.
Adinary Nuance
Sequester is more formal than separate or isolate. It often suggests an official action, especially in law, science, or government. Writers choose it when something is kept apart for a serious reason, not just moved away.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tách riêng
- Spanish
- aislar
- Chinese
- 隔离
- Japanese
- 隔離する
- Korean
- 격리하다
Etymology
Sequester came into English from Latin in the 15th century, through Old French. The Latin source means “to set apart” or “to put aside.”
Common phrases
sequester evidencesequester a jurysequester fundssequester carbon
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is sequester a formal word?
- Yes. It is formal and often appears in legal, scientific, or official writing.
- What is the difference between sequester and isolate?
- Isolate is more general. Sequester often sounds more official and means something is kept apart for a specific reason.
- Can sequester mean take away money?
- Yes. In legal use, it can mean holding money or property until a decision is made.
- Is sequester common in everyday speech?
- Not very common. Most people use simpler words like separate, keep apart, or remove.