social

noun

1

: an informal social event or gathering frequently involving a special activity or area of interest

an ice cream social

2

: a Social Security number

3

a

: social media

Follow us on social.

—often used before another noun

social platforms

b

: a social media account

… block your ex on all of your socials.

—Yana Tallon-Hicks

—often used before another noun

photos posted on her social page

Examples of social in a Sentence

The club has socials every month.

He's living on the social now.

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, the 27-year-old is running her Investment Baker socials followed by tens of thousands of users, helming her cake business, and pursuing her MBA at Northwestern. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 7 June 2026

Weekends bring treasure-seekers to Shady Hollow Flea Market, while Fair Hills, one of our favorite lake resorts in the Midwest, offers an endearing old-school vibe with beach fire pits, ice cream socials, and the Hootenanny variety show on summer Tuesdays. —Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 31 May 2026

Jensen was the first female comic to win NY’s Funniest Stand-Up Award at the New York Comedy Festival and has amassed over a million followers across her socials, as well as over two million views on her YouTube specials. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 May 2026

Othership’s sauna events range from comedy nights and singles socials to tarot readings and a shabbat social schvitz. —Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing social

• box social
• has a busy/hectic social life
• observe the social amenities
• pro-social
• social animal
• social class
• social climber
• social conscience
• social consciousness
• social conservatism
• social construct
• social contract
• social Darwinism
• social democracy
• social disease
• social distance
• social distancing
• social drinker
• social engineering
• social gospel
• social housing
• social insect
• social insurance
• social justice warrior
• social liberalism
• social life
• social media
• social-minded
• social network
• social networking
• social promotion
• social psychology
• social science
• social secretary
• social security
• social service
• social studies
• social welfare
• social work
• the social
• the social whirl

Rhymes for social

• antisocial
• biosocial
• homosocial
• psychosocial
• asocial
• prosocial
• unsocial
• biopsychosocial

Kids Definition

social

1 of 2 adjective

so·​cial ˈsō-shəl 

1

a

: devoted to or engaged in for sociability

social events

my social life

b

: sociable entry 1 sense 1

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 

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

-ē 

adverb