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

During the pandemic, many hospitals around the country pivoted to virtual nursing to allow for social distancing and remote interaction with patient’s families. —Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 8 Apr. 2024

Yet 2020 already seems historic—how remote so many of its rituals now feel, from the Lysol scrubbing of innocent groceries to the six-feet rule of social distancing. —Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024

For Foster to succeed where his predecessors failed, the Bruins need central campus to stop its practice of social distancing and embrace football. —Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2024

Pandemic precautions requiring masks and social distancing made the logistics of the shows difficult, driving ratings down to record lows in 2021. —Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2024

There is also a bunch of social distancing rules to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading among visitors and employees (guests and cast members in Disney talk). —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024

This year’s main event will extend over two days to accommodate social distancing. —Jessica Swannie, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024

Fauci admitted in closed congressional hearings that the guidelines for social distancing (and other ... —Casey B. Mulligan, National Review, 21 Mar. 2024

Like other places, Walt Disney World has added floor markings, signs and barriers to promote social distancing. —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

2003, in the meaning defined above