social distancing

noun

medical
: the practice of maintaining a greater than usual physical distance (such as six feet or more) from other people or of avoiding direct contact with people or objects in public places during the outbreak of a contagious disease in order to minimize exposure and reduce the transmission of infection : physical distancing
San Francisco issued recommendations for social distancing on Friday, advising residents to stay home as much as possible and avoid congregating in large groups.Taryn Luna and Melody Gutierrez
Under a new "social distancing" strategy, handshaking could be discouraged, with other, less tactile forms of greeting taking its place.Rosa Silverman
The term social distancing may be foreign to some, but the concept is one often practiced during the flu season, said Dora Anne Mills, the state's former top health official and currently chief health improvement officer for MaineHealth.Gillian Graham

Examples of social distancing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Despite opposition from dealer groups and related advocacy organizations, the untraditional way of selling cars to in-market buyers gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic when many storefronts were closed due to social distancing regulations. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025 That was five years ago, and the United States has long since tamped down the spread of the disease with social distancing and vaccines. Terina Allen, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025 At the time, Cantrell batted away the criticism, noting that Mardi Gras that year, recognized that year on Feb. 25, was still weeks before most of the country mandated social distancing. Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 3 Jan. 2025 Hardening against embers, clearing around houses, getting neighborhoods to adopt protective measures — this is like wearing masks, practicing social distancing and achieving herd immunity. Stephen A. Pyne, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for social distancing

Word History

First Known Use

2003, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of social distancing was in 2003

Cite this Entry

“Social distancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20distancing. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

social distancing

noun
: the practice of maintaining a greater than usual physical distance (as six feet) from other people or of avoiding direct contact with people or objects in public places during the outbreak of a contagious disease
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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