safe space

noun

: a place (as on a college campus) intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations
… student volunteers put up posters advertising that a "safe space" would be available for anyone who found the debate too upsetting.Judith Shulevitz
Women, sexual assault victims, people of color, transgender students. College campuses have created "safe spaces" for all sorts of marginalized groups.Catherine Rampell

Examples of safe space in a Sentence

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.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Collins had created a mobile sensory-safe space at her festival, which draws 30,000 people annually, because her autistic son, like one in thirty-two Americans also on the spectrum, needed it. Sophie Morgan, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026 Premiering at Sundance for the 11th time, Araki used his pulpit there to pay tribute to the late Robert Redford for his foresight in establishing a creative outlet for minorities and outsider artists, a safe space that established him as cinema’s punk poet laureate of Generation X. Damon Wise, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026 Celebrity esthetician Ian Michael Crumm founded members-only Boys in Beauty to create a safe space to explore the male beauty conversation and create cultural moments. Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 Small described Southern Skates as a safe space for kids, with Dallas police providing security during events. Aria Jones, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for safe space

Word History

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of safe space was in 1970

Cite this Entry

“Safe space.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/safe%20space. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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