contact trace
verb
contact traced; contact tracing; contact traces
: to identify, notify, and monitor individuals who may have had close contact with a person having a confirmed or probable case of infectious disease : to engage in the practice of contact tracing
How well a college contact traces, places infected students in isolation, disseminates a steady stream of messaging to students about following safety practices and punishes offenders all have an impact on how much the virus spreads, [Gonzalo] Bearman said.—
Eric Kolenich
Eric KolenichCampbell County Public Health … also contact traces for diseases like measles and whooping cough, where a dozen cases qualifies as an outbreak.—Johnathan Gallardo and Mike Moore
Johnathan Gallardo and Mike MooreYet the only way we'll all win is if we'll do everything possible between now and then—wear a mask, wash our hands, socially distance, contact trace—to put this coronavirus permanently in our rearview mirror in order to return to our old normal every hour of every day.—Mark Wiedmer
Mark Wiedmer
: to identify and notify (someone) through contact tracing
"Our school has done the best they can to keep us all as safe as possible, but I just happened to be in an unfortunate situation and ended being contact traced. I am choosing to focus on all of the positive experiences I had this season and the great memories I made with my team."—Alexi Fogo
Alexi Fogo
Examples of contact trace in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Decisive action—to contact trace, lock down, quarantine—has also made Kerala’s response exemplary.
—WIRED, 22 Sep. 2023
As the extent of the challenge became clear, the country simply could not deliver what was needed to confront it: a large-scale program of testing and contact tracing, which would have suppressed the virus and allowed the economy to remain open.
—Danielle Allen, Foreign Affairs, 1 June 2020
This includes a requirement for mask-wearing by students and employees, physical distancing, contact tracing, and other significant efforts to reduce the spread of Covid-19 among the population on the Atlanta campus.
—Michael King, CBS News, 22 Aug. 2023
Medical practitioners must report leprosy within one business day to the Florida Department of Health to conduct contact tracing to contain the outbreak.
—Gabrielle M. Etzel, Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2023
Currently, exhibitors and fair management who were exposed to the sick pigs are being monitored by the Oakland County Health Division and state partners, and fair management is helping to do contact tracing.
—Aurora Sousanis, Detroit Free Press, 18 July 2023
Carlene Pavlos, executive director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association, sees pandemic planning as an opportunity to improve public health broadly, shoring up the morale and the ranks of those who work at everything from restaurant inspections to contact tracing.
—Jessica Bartlett, BostonGlobe.com, 13 May 2023
But the virus spread too rapidly for such contact tracing to be effective.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 5 May 2023
Some countries responded to the first outbreaks with swift and decisive action, imposing sweeping lockdowns, shutting borders, implementing rigorous contact tracing, and enforcing social distancing and mask mandates.
—Michele Gelfand, Foreign Affairs, 22 June 2021
See More
WIRED, 22 Sep. 2023
As the extent of the challenge became clear, the country simply could not deliver what was needed to confront it: a large-scale program of testing and contact tracing, which would have suppressed the virus and allowed the economy to remain open.
—Danielle Allen, Foreign Affairs, 1 June 2020
This includes a requirement for mask-wearing by students and employees, physical distancing, contact tracing, and other significant efforts to reduce the spread of Covid-19 among the population on the Atlanta campus.
—Michael King, CBS News, 22 Aug. 2023
Medical practitioners must report leprosy within one business day to the Florida Department of Health to conduct contact tracing to contain the outbreak.
—Gabrielle M. Etzel, Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2023
Currently, exhibitors and fair management who were exposed to the sick pigs are being monitored by the Oakland County Health Division and state partners, and fair management is helping to do contact tracing.
—Aurora Sousanis, Detroit Free Press, 18 July 2023
Carlene Pavlos, executive director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association, sees pandemic planning as an opportunity to improve public health broadly, shoring up the morale and the ranks of those who work at everything from restaurant inspections to contact tracing.
—Jessica Bartlett, BostonGlobe.com, 13 May 2023
But the virus spread too rapidly for such contact tracing to be effective.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 5 May 2023
Some countries responded to the first outbreaks with swift and decisive action, imposing sweeping lockdowns, shutting borders, implementing rigorous contact tracing, and enforcing social distancing and mask mandates.
—Michele Gelfand, Foreign Affairs, 22 June 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contact trace.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1987, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Dictionary Entries Near contact trace
Cite this Entry
“Contact trace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contact%20trace. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
Copy Citation
Medical Definition
contact trace
verb
: to identify, notify, and monitor individuals who may have had close contact with a person having a confirmed or probable case of infectious disease : to engage in the practice of contact tracing
Campbell County Public Health … contact traces for diseases like measles and whooping cough, where a dozen cases qualifies as an outbreak.—Johnathan Gallardo and Mike Moore, The Billings (Montana) Gazette
Johnathan Gallardo and Mike Moore, The Billings (Montana) Gazette
: to identify and notify (someone) through contact tracing
When a first major outbreak hit Grand Forks, North Dakota, in April, the problem was clear: More than 150 employees of a wind turbine blade factory were infected. The factory shut its doors for several weeks, and public health officials tested and contact traced each case.—Sarah Mervosh and Lucy Tompkins, The Houston Chronicle
Sarah Mervosh and Lucy Tompkins, The Houston ChronicleLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share