spacing

noun

spac·​ing ˈspā-siŋ How to pronounce spacing (audio)
Synonyms of spacingnext
1
a
: the act of providing with spaces or placing at intervals
b
: an arrangement in space
2
a
: a limited extent : space
b
: the distance between any two objects in a usually regularly arranged series

Synonyms of spacing

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of spacing in a Sentence

The spacing between characters should be even. the spacing of the houses was a little tight
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.
The team identified 47 of these vortex-bearing interfaces in the telescope’s field of view and measured the spacing between adjacent curls. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026 Since the substrate’s atomic spacing differs slightly from that of RuO₂, the ultrathin film is forced to stretch to match it—a condition known as epitaxial strain. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026 The workshops include all ingredients and participants learn skills such as cutting and folding meats, placement and spacing for jams and honeys. — Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026 Maintaining proper spacing between healthy trees to reduce competition for water. — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for spacing

Word History

First Known Use

1711, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of spacing was in 1711

Phrases Containing spacing

Rhymes for spacing

See All Rhymes for spacing

Browse Nearby Words

spaciness
spacing
spacing strip
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spacing. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

spacing

noun
spac·​ing
ˈspā-siŋ
1
: an arrangement in space
2
: the distance between any two objects in an arranged series

More from Merriam-Webster on spacing

Nglish: Translation of spacing for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All