Sealed-off

Describing a place, area, or object that is completely closed, isolated, and inaccessible, typically to prevent entry, escape, or the spread of something harmful. This state implies a strong barrier, whether physical like walls or figurative, such as a restriction on information. It can denote intentional isolation for safety, security, or containment, or the involuntary exclusion due to damage or natural events. The sealing-off process prevents interaction, movement, or observation from the outside, and conversely, prevents any outflow of resources from within. It suggests a situation of complete or near-complete isolation from the outside world. This word's intensity can range from a light degree of isolation to a complete and total separation from all outside interactions.

Sealed-off meaning with examples

• Following the hazardous material spill, the affected zone was sealed-off by emergency responders. No one could enter or leave the area until specialists deemed it safe. The public's ability to freely move and interact within the region was totally restricted. This preventative measure was crucial to protecting the wider community and contained the chemical threat until expert cleanup was conducted.
• The dilapidated building, deemed unsafe after a recent earthquake, was sealed-off with steel barricades and warning signs. No one was permitted to approach due to the danger of structural collapse. Access, as well as entry, were completely unavailable, and any attempt would be severely dangerous. The sealing-off process ensures the ongoing safety of passersby and adjacent property from the crumbling infrastructure.
• Due to the outbreak of a virulent disease, the authorities sealed-off the infected town to control the epidemic's spread. No traffic, incoming or outgoing, was permitted, and all communication was heavily regulated. The strict quarantine was considered to have been critical, to ensure that there was an ability to reduce the speed of the infection and, in the end, the disease's total impact.
• The secret laboratory, conducting highly classified experiments, was rigorously sealed-off to protect national security. Access was restricted to authorized personnel with multiple levels of clearance. The integrity of all aspects of the project, from data security, to even the location of the location of the facility, depended on the effectiveness of the sealing-off process and the prevention of any leaks of any sort.