social

1 of 2

adjective

so·​cial ˈsō-shəl How to pronounce social (audio)
1
: involving allies or confederates
the Social War between the Athenians and their allies
2
a
: marked by or passed in pleasant companionship with friends or associates
an active social life
b
c
: of, relating to, or designed for sociability
a social club
3
: of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of human beings as members of society
social institutions
4
a
: tending to form cooperative and interdependent relationships with others
Infants can become social beings only through interaction with others.Gerald R. Leslie and Sheila K. Korman
b
: living and breeding in more or less organized communities especially for the purposes of cooperation and mutual benefit : not solitary
Of the canid family, the wolf is one of the most social species, since it is a pack hunter.Michael W. Fox
The evolutionary theory of kin selection requires that social animals recognize their relatives so that altruistic behavior can be displayed preferentially toward kin.Science
see also social insect
c
of a plant : tending to grow in groups or masses so as to form a pure stand
5
a
: of, relating to, or based on rank or status in a particular society
a member of our social set
b
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the upper classes
c
: formal
6
: being such in social situations
a social drinker

social

2 of 2

noun

Examples of social in a Sentence

Adjective She has poor social skills. The vacation resort held a lot of social events. I joined the club to improve my social life. Her sister is much more social than she is. social institutions like marriage and family Health care is a major social issue. Child abuse has become a serious social problem. Martin Luther King, Jr., fought for social change. Most humans are social beings. Noun The club has socials every month. He's living on the social now.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
On that day, the restaurant will be open for dinner only from 4 to 9 p.m., according to its social media post. Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 Jameela, the first baby gorilla born by Cesarean section at the Fort Worth Zoo, still needs a surrogate mother after surrogacy training with 24-year-old Gracie stalled, zoo staff said in a social media update Tuesday. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2024 In a social media post later that day, Gallego wrote that any cease-fire in Gaza must come with the release of hostages, a deal that hinges on Hamas accepting it. Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 But putting the proposals in his prime-time address Thursday reflects part of Biden’s 2024 strategy to campaign on economic inequality, as Democrats emphasize their plans to reduce the deficit and expand social programs by taxing the wealthy. Jeff Stein, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 Some came from parallel functions like human resources, some came from disparate functions like marketing, others came from the nonprofit world, and still others were social justice activists or people of color who simply had a passion for fostering diverse and inclusive workplaces. Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 In these portraits, bodies narrate intricate stories which, in their individuality, maintain always a strong bond with the political and social surrounding. Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024 Matching games assist autistic kids in building social skills. Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 6 Mar. 2024 Ethan Ward is a contributing writer for Capital & Main, a nonprofit publication that reports on economic, environmental and social issues. Ethan Ward, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2024
Noun
The quote is a famous line from Frank Sinatra that the Law & Order star has shared on his socials before. Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 Naturally, footage from those shows gained lots of traction on socials, with fans kickstarting a grassroots campaign for an official release of the song. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 18 Jan. 2024 By now, the algorithm has probably graced all your socials with soothing ASMR videos of zen waterfall scalp massages or soothing steam hair sessions. Audrey Noble, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024 Fans took note yesterday that the singer wiped her socials, a tactic often used by artists signaling the imminent arrival of a new era. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 Keep an eye on the Obsidian Entertainment socials for the official date announcement. The Arizona Republic, 29 Jan. 2024 Their merch-friendly co-star also commemorated the occasion with a post on his socials. Shania Russell, EW.com, 25 Jan. 2024 Earlier, Gwen Stefani, bass player Tony Kanal, drummer Adrian Young and guitarist Tom Dumont teased a comeback with a video posted to their socials. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 17 Jan. 2024 In a photo posted to her socials, Osbourne showed her sweatpants soaked after her little one threw up all over her lap mid-flight. Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'social.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin socialis, from socius companion, ally, associate; akin to Old English secg man, companion, Latin sequi to follow — more at sue

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of social was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near social

Cite this Entry

“Social.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

social

1 of 2 adjective
so·​cial ˈsō-shəl How to pronounce social (audio)
1
a
: devoted to or engaged in for sociability
social events
my social life
2
: of or relating to human society
social institutions
3
a
: tending to form cooperative relationships with others
we are social beings
b
: living or growing by nature in groups or communities
bees are social insects
4
a
: of, relating to, or based on rank in a particular society
not accepted as their social equal
b
: of or relating to fashionable society
a social leader

social

2 of 2 noun
: a friendly gathering usually for a special reason
an ice cream social

Medical Definition

social

adjective
so·​cial ˈsō-shəl How to pronounce social (audio)
1
a
: tending to form cooperative and interdependent relationships with others of one's kind
b
: living and breeding in more or less organized communities
social insects
2
: of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of human beings as members of society
immature social behavior
socially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on social

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