remote
Americanadjective
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far apart; far distant in space; situated at some distance away.
the remote jungles of Brazil.
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out-of-the-way; secluded.
a remote village;
a remote mountaintop.
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(of an electronic device or technical process) operating or controlled from a distance, as by remote control.
a remote camera.
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not direct, primary, or proximate; not directly involved or influential.
the remote causes of the war.
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slight or faint; unlikely.
The committee doesn't have the remotest idea of how to address the basic issue.
So with two games remaining, we actually have a remote chance of making the play-offs.
- Synonyms:
- doubtful
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noting or relating to work, schooling, or other activities that take place away from their usual place, site, or building: Teachers have distance learning lessons prepared in advance for weather emergencies that necessitate remote instruction.
The company allows remote work for freelancers, but full-time employees are expected to work on site.
Teachers have distance learning lessons prepared in advance for weather emergencies that necessitate remote instruction.
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reserved and distant in manner; not warmly cordial; aloof.
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far off; abstracted; removed.
principles remote from actions.
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distant in time.
remote antiquity.
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distant in relationship or connection.
a remote ancestor.
noun
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Radio and Television. a broadcast, usually live, from a location outside a studio.
adjective
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located far away; distant
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far from any centre of population, society, or civilization; out-of-the-way
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distant in time
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distantly related or connected
a remote cousin
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removed, as from the source or point of action
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slight or faint (esp in the phrases not the remotest idea, a remote chance )
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(of a person's manner) aloof or abstracted
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operated from a distance; remote-controlled
a remote monitor
Other Word Forms
- remotely adverb
- remoteness noun
- unremote adjective
- unremoteness noun
Etymology
Origin of remote
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin remōtus, past participle of removēre “to move back”; remove, motion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The government opened the federal penitentiary on Alcatraz in 1934, hoping to use the remote island to house particularly difficult prisoners, according to the National Park Service.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Truist Securities’ William Stein thinks that some chip companies stand to benefit from the satellite rush, which could power everything from fast imaging to remote internet access.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026
The 3.5% surcharge will be applied to fulfillment by Amazon service in the U.S. and Canada, in addition to remote fulfillment shipping from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
But in a worst-case, albeit remote, scenario, the federal government can amplify rather than absorb shocks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
I put the mics by the remote and sit on the edge of the rug.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
