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
Taryn Luna and Melody GutierrezUnder a new "social distancing" strategy, handshaking could be discouraged, with other, less tactile forms of greeting taking its place.—Rosa Silverman
Rosa SilvermanThe 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
Gillian GrahamExamples of social distancing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite the majority of Americans noting specific negative impacts, overall adults still believe the work from home order and social distancing were the right decision, according to the report.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
People who supported masks and social distancing during the pandemic were outraged.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Sun Sentinel 5 years later: How COVID-19 precautions still influence theme parks, tourism
Gone are social distancing and temperature checks, but COVID-19 precautions still play a role in some of today’s theme park experiences.
—South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
There were Zoom meetings, social distancing and devices that monitored their movements in conjunction with others for contact tracing.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for social distancing
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Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
People who supported masks and social distancing during the pandemic were outraged.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Sun Sentinel 5 years later: How COVID-19 precautions still influence theme parks, tourism
Gone are social distancing and temperature checks, but COVID-19 precautions still play a role in some of today’s theme park experiences.
—South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
There were Zoom meetings, social distancing and devices that monitored their movements in conjunction with others for contact tracing.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for social distancing
Cite this Entry
“Social distancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20distancing. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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