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

April 15, 2020: Shia LaBeouf and Mia Goth appear to be social distancing together Soon after their apparent reconciliation, LaBeouf and Goth were spotted on a walk together in L.A. amid the COVID-19 pandemic. —Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 20 May 2024

Kate Shindle, the president of Equity, previously told The Hollywood Reporter that the organizing drive began as workers started to have workplace concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic, like interacting with park visitors after a period of social distancing. —Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 May 2024

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