Meaning & use
spatial separation
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Meanings
noununcountable
The state of being apart in space, or the distance kept between two things or places.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: spatial separation is important. Do not say 'a spatial separation' unless you mean one particular measured gap.
Patterns
- spatial separation between something and something
- spatial separation of something from something
- maintain spatial separation
Good urban planning requires spatial separation between factories and homes.
The study measured the spatial separation of the two bird populations.
There is clear spatial separation between the seating and the stage.
noununcountable
The act of keeping people or things physically apart to avoid contact or conflict.
Grammar: Often used with 'of' to show what is being kept apart: the spatial separation of rivals.
Patterns
- spatial separation of someone from someone
- enforce spatial separation
The referee called for spatial separation of the two teams.
Spatial separation of the queues prevented crowding at the entrance.
The design allows spatial separation of clean and dirty areas in the kitchen.
Common combinations
- spatial separation between
- The map shows the spatial separation between the two villages.
- maintain spatial separation
- Drivers must maintain spatial separation on the highway.
- spatial separation of
- The spatial separation of the workstations reduces noise.
- achieve spatial separation
- The new walls achieve spatial separation without blocking light.
Synonyms and how they differ
- distance
- More general and everyday; use it for any measured gap, while spatial separation often suggests a deliberate or designed gap.
- gap
- Refers to the empty space itself rather than the state of being apart.
Opposites
Word family
- spatial adjective
- Relating to space or position.
- separation noun
- The act of moving apart or dividing.
- separate verb
- To move things apart or keep them apart.
Commonly confused: spatial separation or special separation?
spatial separation vs special separation
A common mishearing: 'spatial' relates to space, while 'special' means not ordinary.
Practice
The architect wanted to create ___ between the noisy road and the quiet garden.
Choose one answer.
The noun phrase 'spatial separation' is uncountable, so it takes no article here. 'A spatial separation' sounds wrong because we are talking about the general idea, not one counted gap. 'Spatial separate' is not a correct noun phrase, and 'spatially separation' mixes an adverb with a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “spatial separation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.