What does "safety" mean?
The condition or feeling of being safe; security; certainty.
Safety
/ˈseɪfti/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The condition or feeling of being safe; security; certainty.
- Grammar: safety is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: safety device, aegis, arm guard, assurance.
- Useful contrasts: dangerous situation, dutch risico, fungal spoilage.
- Usage evidence: You should be more thoughtful of your safety.
How to use "safety"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "safety" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "safety" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "safety" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "safety" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "safety" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "safety device" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "safety", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The condition or feeling of being safe; security; certainty. countable, uncountable
"If you push it to the limit, safety is not guaranteed."
- 2 (baseball) the successful act of striking a baseball in such a way that the batter reaches base safely wordnet
- 3 A safety lock or safety catch: a mechanism on a weapon or dangerous equipment designed to prevent accidental firing or operation. countable, uncountable
"Be sure that the safety is set before proceeding."
- 4 a score in American football; a player is tackled behind their own goal line wordnet
- 5 Preservation from escape; close custody. countable, uncountable
"[…] imprison him, […] / Deliver him to safety; and return,"
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 contraceptive device consisting of a sheath of thin rubber or latex that is worn over the penis during intercourse wordnet
- 7 An instance of a player being sacked or tackled in the end zone, or stepping out of the end zone and off the field, resulting in two points to the opposite team. countable, uncountable
"He sacked the quarterback in the end zone for a safety."
- 8 a device designed to prevent injury or accidents wordnet
- 9 Any of the defensive players who are in position furthest from the line of scrimmage and whose responsibility is to defend against passes as well as to be the tacklers of last resort. countable, uncountable
"The free safety made a game-saving tackle on the runner who had broken past the linebackers."
- 10 a safe place wordnet
- 11 A safety squeeze. countable, uncountable
"Boy wondered about that bunt. He had a notion Fowler would commit himself soon because time was on the go. But Fowler didn’t, making it another sweep of three Pirates. He had thus far given up only two safeties."
- 12 the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions wordnet
- 13 A safety shot or sequence of such shots. countable, uncountable
"That was a poor safety from Higgins."
- 14 A safety bicycle. countable, dated, uncountable
"Many wheelmen and wheelwomen, riding safeties, tandems and tricycles, stopped there during the evening and we had good opportunity for comparing American and English bicycles […]"
Verb
- 1 To secure (a mechanical component, as in aviation) to keep it from becoming detached even under vibration. transitive
- 2 to secure a firing pin, as in guns, to keep the gun from firing
"Time went back to normal for him; he safetied his own weapon and dropped it, jumping forward."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"You should be more thoughtful of your safety."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "safety"?
Common synonyms include: safety device, aegis, arm guard, assurance, backstop, base hit.
How do you use "safety" in a sentence?
You should be more thoughtful of your safety.
How do you pronounce "safety"?
Pronounced /ˈseɪfti/.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English savete, from Old French sauveté, from earlier salvetet, from Medieval Latin salvitās, salvitātem, from Latin salvus.