How to Use "Aisle" vs. "Isle" (Definition, Examples)

First published on September 26, 2023 by Dalia Y.|Last revised on October 28, 2025

An aisle is a passage between rows of seats or shelves (think grocery store). Isle refers to an island, typically a small one.

Writing Tips

How to Use "Aisle" vs. "Isle" (Definition, Examples)

Aisle vs. isle: what's the difference?

Though they are only a letter apart and sound the same, the words aisle and isle are completely unrelated in meaning.

The key distinction between these two words lies in their meaning:

Aisle (noun) — A passage between rows of seats in a church, theatre, train, etc., or between rows of shelves in a supermarket. It's pronounced like the contraction "I'll".
Isle (noun) — An island, typically a small one. Often used as part of geographic names like the Isle of Dogs or the British Isles.

✓ Please walk down the aisle to your seats in the theatre.

✓ The cruise ship stopped at a beautiful, secluded isle for the day.

✗ The flight attendant asked us to keep the isle clear during takeoff.

✗ My dream vacation is to a remote tropical aisle.

Definitions and usage

Aisle (noun)

A passage between rows of seats in a church, theatre, train, etc., or between rows of shelves in a supermarket. It's the more commonly used word of the two, so if you're thinking of the phrase "walking down the aisle", this is the correct spelling.

• Please walk down the aisle to your seats in the theatre.

• The aisles in the church were decorated with flowers for the wedding.

• I walked down the narrow aisle of the airplane to find my seat.

• Coffee and tea are in the next aisle.

Isle (noun)

An island, usually a small one. Isle is often used as part of an island's name, like the Isle of Dogs in London, or the Isle of Wight off the coast of Hampshire in southern England. Also, the British Isles is a famous one. We can remember that isle means island from the spelling; just think, isle = island.

• They sailed to a beautiful isle in the Caribbean for their vacation.

• While on the plane, I saw hundreds and hundreds of isles.

• The isle was known for its unique wildlife, including rare bird species.

• I once lived on the island of Antiparos, a tiny isle behind Paros. (Emily Prager)

Pro tip! Associate "isle" with "island" (both start with 'I'). "Aisle" is the 'A'irway you walk down in a theater or store.

Synonyms & nearby words

Synonyms for aisle

passage passageway corridor gangway walkway path lane alley

Synonyms for isle

archipelago atoll bar cay enclave haven islet

More confusing words

Homonyms (or homophones)	Related topics
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breathe or breath	favorite vs. favourite
compliment vs. complement	smelled or smelt?
effect vs. affect	spelled or spelt?
elude or allude	favor vs. favour
it's or its	analyze or analyse?

Practice quiz: Aisle vs. Isle

FAQs

What's the main difference between aisle vs isle?

Aisle is a passage between rows (theatre, store). Isle is a small island. They sound alike but have completely unrelated meanings. Remember isle means island, like island.

What is an aisle definition?

An aisle is a passage between rows of seats in places like churches, theatres, or trains, or between rows of shelves in stores. It's common for the phrase "walking down the aisle".

What does the noun isle mean?

An isle is a noun that refers to an island, typically a small one. It's frequently used as part of geographic names, like the Isle of Dogs or the British Isles.

How to remember isle vs aisle?

A helpful tip is to associate "isle" with "island" because both words begin with the letter 'I'. Think of an "aisle" as an 'A'irway or passage you navigate.

Give example sentences.

For aisle: "Please walk down the aisle to your seats." For isle: "They sailed to a beautiful isle in the Caribbean." These show correct usage of each word based on meaning.