buffer zone

noun

: a neutral area separating conflicting forces

broadly : an area designed to separate

Examples of buffer zone in a Sentence

There must be a 500-foot buffer zone between the river and the new buildings.

Recent Examples on the Web

For nearly two months, his body lay in a buffer zone, unreachable by Ukrainian forces because of fighting. —Constant Méheut, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025

As Israeli forces advanced in Gaza, the IDF intensified operations in Lebanon last year, killing much of its top leadership, including longtime Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, and establishing an effective buffer zone in the south. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025

The Ottomans used it as a buffer zone, and while some periods saw growth, it was frequently abandoned during wars. —Efrat Lachter, Fox News, 5 Feb. 2025

Clear all vegetation from a five-foot buffer zone around the house. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

buffer zone

noun

: an area designed to separate: as

a

: an area with certain boundaries beyond which protestors may not pass

b

: an area separating land used for different purposes

a buffer zone between the development and the park