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

And at a time when vaccines and effective treatments weren’t available, masking and social distancing helped curb the damage, saving countless lives. —Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 4 June 2024

The Republicans blamed Fauci for imposing a regulation on Americans specifying that effective social distancing required a six-foot space between individuals. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2024

Since the era of social distancing, a desire to reconnect with friends and family has led to more ambitious group trips. —Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024

Many Floridians resisted rules for social distancing and mask wearing. —Michele Gelfand, Foreign Affairs, 22 June 2021

Word History

First Known Use

2003, in the meaning defined above

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