physical space

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   An actual area or room that you can enter and occupy, as opposed to one that exists only on a screen or in the mind.

   Grammar: Can be counted (a physical space) or uncountable (we need more physical space).

   Patterns

   • a physical space for something
   • in a physical space

   After two years online, the club finally found a physical space to meet.

   Some shops keep a small physical space even though most sales happen on the web.

   Many students say they study better in a physical space with other people.

2. 2noununcountable

   The amount of room between you and other people or objects, especially personal distance.

   Grammar: Usually uncountable: give him some physical space.

   Patterns

   • give someone physical space
   • need physical space

   After the argument, she asked for some physical space and went for a walk.

   Toddlers often have little sense of other people's physical space.

   The crowded train left no physical space to move.

Common combinations

shared physical space

The two teams work in a shared physical space on the third floor.

give someone physical space

Try to give him some physical space when he is upset.

physical space and virtual space

Architects now design both physical space and virtual space for clients.

limited physical space

The museum has limited physical space for new exhibits.

occupy physical space

Even a tiny object must occupy physical space.

Synonyms and how they differ

premises

Premises means a building and its grounds used by a business, so it is narrower and more official than physical space.

room

Room is simpler and can mean either a chamber or available area, while physical space emphasizes that it is real, not digital.

venue

A venue is a place used for events specifically, while physical space is any real location.

Opposites

Word family

physical adjective

relating to the body or real things

physically adverb

in a bodily or real way

space noun

an area or room available

spatial adjective

relating to space

Commonly confused: physical space or outer space?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “physical space”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words