remote control

American  

noun

• remote controls
  plural

1. control of the operation or performance of an apparatus from a distance, as the control of a guided missile by radio signals.

2. Also called remote. a device used to control the operation of an apparatus or machine, as a television set, from a distance.

---

remote control British  

noun

1. control of a system or activity by a person at a different place, usually by means of radio or ultrasonic signals or by electrical signals transmitted by wire

2. Also:: remote. a hand-held device that enables remote control of a system or appliance

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• remote-control
  adjective
• remote-controlled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• remote controls
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of remote control

First recorded in 1900–05

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

remote control

"It allows for operations at very low altitudes -- it is controlled by a signal from space, bypassing the radio horizon and the Earth's curvature -- factors that otherwise limit ground-based remote control signals."

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

This year, rules were “optimized,” according to the Beijing Town website, with entries running either by autonomous navigation or remote control.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026

When he said he needed to take remote control of my computer, I knew I was talking to scammers, not PayPal.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 25, 2026

Using a simple remote control, you cycle through six heat levels and can set a timer in one-hour increments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

His father had bought it at a garage sale, and the remote control was missing, so he had to lean over to change the channel.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---