Olefins　are　important　building　blocks　that　have　been　extensively　used　to　produce　diverse　consumer　products　in　petrochemical　industry.　Owing　to　the　requirement　of　low-carbon-footprint　processes　and　the　increasing　use　of　light　alkanes　sourced　from　shale　gas,　an　environmentally　friendly　and　economic　route　alternative　to　the　state-of-the-art　steam　cracking　of　crude　oil　has　been　investigated　for　olefin　production.　The　oxidative　dehydrogenation　(ODH)　of　alkanes　to　olefins　has　attracted　wide　attention　due　to　the　absence　of　thermodynamic　limitations　and　coke　formation.　However,　excessive　oxidation　of　olefin　is　prone　to　occur　in　this　process.　Developing　a　suitable　ODH　catalyst　with　high　performance,　particularly　with　enhanced　selectivity,　is　more　and　more　urgent　but　still　remains　a　challenge.　In　this　Review,　we　talk　about　the　representative　currently　developed　isolation　strategies　to　optimize　the　selectivity　of　olefins　via　the　ODH　process,　particularly　for　the　conversion　of　ethane　to　ethylene,　which　include　the　dispersion　regulation　of　metal　oxide,　the　isolation　of　metal　and　nonmetal　sites,　the　construction　of　dual　functional　sites　to　isolate　dehydrogenation　and　oxidation　steps,　and　the　adoption　of　selective　oxygen　species　with　the　promotion　of　soft　oxidants　as　reactants.　Furthermore,　the　mechanistic　aspects　about　the　activation　of　ethane　and　the　participation　of　oxygen　species　for　tailoring　the　selectivity　are　then　classified　and　discussed　in　detail.　Finally,　the　perspectives　and　the　emerging　technologies　for　the　ODH　process　are　listed　and　evaluated.　©　2024　American　Chemical　Society