distance

American  

[dis-tuhns] / ˈdɪs təns /

noun

• distances
  plural

1. the extent or amount of space between two things, points, lines, etc.

2. the state or fact of being apart in space, as of one thing from another; remoteness.

3. a linear extent of space.

   Seven miles is a distance too great to walk in an hour.

4. an expanse; area.

   A vast distance of water surrounded the ship.

5. the interval between two points of time; an extent of time.

   His vacation period was a good distance away.

6. remoteness or difference in any respect.

   Our philosophies are a long distance apart.

7. an amount of progress.

   We've come a long distance on the project.

8. a distant point, place, or region.

9. the distant part of a field of view.

   a tree in the distance.

10. absence of warmth; reserve.

    Their first meeting in several years was hampered by a certain distance between them.

    Synonyms:

    aloofness, coolness, restraint, remoteness

11. Music. interval.

12. aesthetic distance.

13. Horse Racing. (in a heat race) the space measured back from the winning post that a horse must reach by the time the winner passes the winning post or be eliminated from subsequent heats.

14. Mathematics. the greatest lower bound of differences between points, one from each of two given sets.

15. Obsolete. disagreement or dissension; a quarrel.

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verb (used with object)

• distances,
  present (3rd person singular)
• distanced,
  past participle,  past
• distancing
  present participle

1. to leave behind at a distance, as at a race; surpass.

2. to place at a distance.

3. to cause to appear distant.

idioms

1. go the distance,

   1. (in horse racing) to be able to run well in a long race.

   2. Informal. to finish or complete something, especially something difficult, challenging, or requiring sustained effort.

2. keep at a distance, to treat coldly or in an unfriendly manner.

3. keep one's distance, to avoid becoming familiar or involved; remain cool or aloof.

distance British  

/ ˈdɪstəns /

noun

1. the intervening space between two points or things

2. the length of this gap

3. the state of being apart in space; remoteness

4. an interval between two points in time

5. the extent of progress; advance

6. a distant place or time

   he lives at a distance from his work

7. a separation or remoteness in relationship; disparity

8. geometry

   1. the length of the shortest line segment joining two points

   2. the length along a straight line or curve

9. the most distant or a faraway part of the visible scene or landscape

10. horse racing

    1. a point on a racecourse 240 yards from the winning post

    2. any interval of more than 20 lengths between any two finishers in a race

    3. the part of a racecourse that a horse must reach in any heat before the winner passes the finishing line in order to qualify for later heats

11. 1. boxing to complete a bout without being knocked out

    2. to be able to complete an assigned task or responsibility

12. to maintain a proper or discreet reserve in respect of another person

13. the distant parts of a picture, such as a landscape

14. 1. (in a picture) halfway between the foreground and the horizon

    2. (in a natural situation) halfway between the observer and the horizon

15. (modifier) athletics relating to or denoting the longer races, usually those longer than a mile

    a distance runner

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verb

1. to hold or place at a distance

2. to separate (oneself) mentally or emotionally from something

3. to outdo; outstrip

distance More Idioms  

1. see go the distance; keep one's distance; spitting distance.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• distanceless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• distances
  plural

Participles

• distancing
  present
• distanced
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• distance
  simple
• distances
  simple
• have distanced
  perfect
• has distanced
  perfect
• am distancing
  progressive
• are distancing
  progressive
• is distancing
  progressive
• have been distancing
  perfect progressive
• has been distancing
  perfect progressive

Past

• distanced
  simple
• had distanced
  perfect
• was distancing
  progressive
• were distancing
  progressive
• had been distancing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will distance
  simple
• will have distanced
  perfect
• will be distancing
  progressive
• will have been distancing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of distance

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin distantia, from distant- (stem of distāns “standing apart”; see distant) + -ia -y ³; replacing Middle English destaunce, from Anglo-French

Explanation

Distance is an amount of space between things. From a distance, it's hard to tell if someone's wearing a vampire costume or just a chic black outfit. The noun distance usually refers to physical space in between two objects, like the distance between your parking spot and the entrance to the mall. It can also mean an interval in time, like a distance of two years since you graduated. Another meaning of distance is remoteness, like the distance between you and a close friend who doesn't talk to you much these days. The Latin root is distantia, "a standing apart."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

distance distances distanced distancing

I cackle at the distance between perfection and utter collapse, but I also feel a pang of tenderness: I am moved by their effort.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

Say you have to walk a long distance in cold weather because your car ran out of gas?

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

But arguably within viewing distance are the few hundred lines of code that direct Eliza, the first chatbot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

This required United's full-back to cover a large distance to close down the wing-back on the ball.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

From a distance Penn Station looks like a postcard, still and silent, the tall facade lit from below by the gas lamps lining the street.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

"The aim is to... keep the distances travelled on the Rhine as short as possible," transport company Contargo told AFP.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

I did some back-of-my-notepad math and realized you can drive massive distances faster than I would have guessed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Back then, airports were growing in size as air travel became accessible, forcing passengers to walk great distances while carrying their luggage by hand.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

"These changes can also increase fatigue and make walking longer distances more challenging, while reducing the ability to recover from trips or slips -- a key factor in falls among older adults."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

We live in societies that mass-produce facts: packages are marked with weights, road signs tell you distances and, in some countries, the populations of the towns you are passing through.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Soon after, Abehsera, Sazan Real Estate’s chairman, distanced his group from the controversy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

Evans' colleague Iain McIntosh also distanced himself from the now-deleted comment, which was made by Reform UK Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd on Facebook, and said he had asked for it to be deleted.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

In the late 1980s – and certainly today, much more so – urban living distanced millions of people from their close connection to nature . . . and their parents.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026

His first book, “Fresh Off the Boat,” became the longest-running network sitcom centered on an Asian American family, even as Huang publicly distanced himself from the show.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

He never distanced himself or treated me any differently, no matter what I said.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

McIntosh told BBC Wales that he was also distancing himself from the comment.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

If anything, this trajectory of former colonies distancing themselves from their onetime imperial masters is familiar to those of other empires.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

"Who are we to tell soldiers, who know their job and the dangers... what they're allowed to do?" he asked, distancing himself from what he called "ideologues" who take the opposing view.

From Barron's ● May 28, 2026

Another passenger said the cruise staff had asked those on board to maintain social distancing, wear masks inside and sanitise hands frequently.

From BBC ● May 5, 2026

It let her feel like she was distancing herself from her mother, who Terryl always felt put on airs that everything was okay.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• area
• gap
• length
• orbit
• radius
• scope
• separation
• size
• space
• span
• stretch
• width