demarcation
noun
de·mar·ca·tion
ˌdē-ˌmär-ˈkā-shən 
plural demarcations
1
: the marking of the limits or boundaries of something : the act, process, or result of demarcating something
the demarcation of property lines
2
: something that marks or constitutes a boundary
a demarcation line
: a marked or perceived distinction between one area, category, etc., and another
The ability to test a theory against physical evidence … has provided a useful demarcation between science and pseudoscience.—
Norriss S. Hetherington
Norriss S. HetheringtonCertainly no clear line of demarcation has as yet been drawn between species and sub-species—that is, the forms which in the opinion of some naturalists come very near to, but do not quite arrive at the rank of species.—Charles Darwin
Charles DarwinThere has been much chatter in recent seasons about the great gender crossover, that deliberate erosion on the runways of a once-rigid demarcation between conventionally feminine and masculine clothes.—Elizabeth Paton
Elizabeth Paton… the continued presence in the modern imagination of a sharp demarcation between public and private space.—AAG Abstracts
AAG AbstractsSynonyms
Examples of demarcation in a Sentence
the lines of demarcation between art and entertainment are often blurry
Recent Examples on the Web
The second apron is about $18 million more than the luxury tax line, so the market for Caldwell-Pope indicates that re-signing him would still cross that critical line of demarcation.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 27 June 2024
Part two was the demarcation and all of our lives were forever different.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 17 June 2024
The system has to be changed to take out the word closed, and training must occur for proper demarcation of what is going on.
—Baltimore Sun Media, Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2024
With the ground work done, Hines hit a natural demarcation line in the building process and is waiting for more favorable financial conditions before erecting its first structures, the developer said.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for demarcation 
Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 27 June 2024
Part two was the demarcation and all of our lives were forever different.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 17 June 2024
The system has to be changed to take out the word closed, and training must occur for proper demarcation of what is going on.
—Baltimore Sun Media, Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2024
With the ground work done, Hines hit a natural demarcation line in the building process and is waiting for more favorable financial conditions before erecting its first structures, the developer said.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for demarcation
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'demarcation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near demarcation
Cite this Entry
“Demarcation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demarcation. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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