safe space

noun

Definition of safe space

: a place (as on a college campus) intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations … student volunteers put up posters advertising that a "safe space" would be available for anyone who found the debate too upsetting.— Judith Shulevitz Women, sexual assault victims, people of color, transgender students. College campuses have created "safe spaces" for all sorts of marginalized groups.— Catherine Rampell

Examples of safe space in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Have undergraduates ever asked them for a trigger warning or a safe space, in those words? — Jonathan W. Wilson, Vox, "My students aren’t asking for safe spaces. They’re repressing past traumas to survive.," 12 Dec. 2018 If Trump voters see that show as a safe space, even better. — Drew Magary, GQ, "Sarah Silverman Is the Troll Slayer," 23 May 2018 The eruv creates a safe space for Orthodox Jews to carry certain items they otherwise would be forbidden to carry while outside the home on the Sabbath. — Susannah Bryan, Sun-Sentinel.com, "What is an eruv?," 22 June 2018 Caveat creates a safe space for the spotlight to shine on the 13 survivors who’ll be taking the stage. — Kasia Pilat, New York Times, "5 Comedy Shows to Catch in NYC This Weekend," 26 Apr. 2018 In recent years, a crop of conservative dating startups have launched in response to this phenomenon, all with one purpose: giving right-wingers a safe space to find love. — Gaby Del Valle, Vox, "“For conservatives, by conservatives”: the rise of right-wing dating apps," 26 Dec. 2018 But as the year wore on and the controversies mounted, Pruitt began granting few interviews beyond safe spaces such as right-leaning radio shows and online outlets. — Dino Grandoni, Washington Post, "The Energy 202: The EPA won't change policy after Pruitt. But it might be more transparent about it.," 10 July 2018 The program is backed by research that shows girls need a safe space to deal with issues like self-esteem, their bodies and body image, sexuality and healthy relationships. — Byron Mccauley, Cincinnati.com, "Down on kids these days? These girls will turn your frowns upside down," 26 Feb. 2018 Having a safe space online made my early gay life a lot more bearable. — German Lopez, Vox, "Video game addiction is real, rare, and poorly understood," 6 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'safe space.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.