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personal space

American  

noun

personal spaces plural
  1. the variable and subjective distance at which one person feels comfortable talking to another.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There was also a half-mile "quiet wave" swim for those wanting more personal space and fewer crowds and, for the first time, stand-up paddleboarding.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026

In a hybrid-work world, the office should be a place that enhances productivity and restoring a sense of personal space would help achieve that.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

For some, withdrawing into a small personal space and lowering expectations seems like a rational, even self-protective, response.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 25, 2025

“Carving out personal space promotes a sense of agency,” Tovar says, “and provides you refuge if you need to get away from the crowd.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2025

Jacqui has her elbows out, trying to keep her personal space.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

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