safety

1 of 2

noun

safe·​ty ˈsāf-tē How to pronounce safety (audio)
plural safeties
1
: the condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss
2
: a device (as on a weapon or a machine) designed to prevent inadvertent or hazardous operation
3
a(1)
: a situation in football in which a member of the offensive team is tackled behind its own goal line that counts two points for the defensive team compare touchback
(2)
: a member of a defensive backfield in football who occupies the deepest position in order to receive a kick, defend against a forward pass, or stop a ballcarrier
b
: a billiard shot made with no attempt to score or so as to leave the balls in an unfavorable position for the opponent
c

safety

2 of 2

verb

safetied; safetying

transitive verb

: to protect against failure, breakage, or accident
safety a rifle

Examples of safety in a Sentence

Noun The changes were made in the interest of public safety. He made some suggestions about how to improve airline safety. I'm worried about the safety of the people who were left behind. We were reluctant to leave the relative safety of our hotel. She was only a mile from the safety of her home when the accident occurred. The car has been redesigned for improved safety. The toys are inspected for safety. They were led to safety by the rescuers. The injured hiker was finally able to reach safety.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
These businesses should maximize their system’s functionality, monitor and secure the safety of all data and stay ahead of trends and emerging technologies that can be integrated into their ERP. Kevin Beasley, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 Decorate safely In addition to maintaining safety while trick-or-treating, parents and guardians should also encourage safety when decorating for Halloween. Sarah Darby, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
Despite daily shelling, Anya finds resistance and purpose in her art, Andrey takes the dangerous journey to get his young family to safety abroad, and Slava becomes a weapons instructor for ordinary people who have become unlikely soldiers. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2024 When one teenage girl fainted in the crowd, she was helped to safety by onlookers who then offered her sips of water from their own bottles. Variety, NBC News, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for safety 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English saufte, from Anglo-French salveté, saufté, from salf safe

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1916, in the meaning defined above

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

Cite this Entry

“Safety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/safety. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

safety

noun
safe·​ty
ˈsāf-tē
plural safeties
1
: the state or condition of being safe : freedom from hurt, injury, or loss
2
: a protective device (as on a pistol) to prevent accidental operation
3
a
: a score of two points for the defensive team in football when an offensive ballcarrier is tackled behind the offensive team's goal line
b
: a defensive football player whose position is far back from the line of scrimmage

More from Merriam-Webster on safety

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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