spitting distance

British  

noun

1. a short space or distance

---

spitting distance Idioms  

1. A very short distance, as in We were in spitting distance of winning the pennant but then we lost three games in a row. Alluding to the relatively short distance over which one's spit will carry, this idiom was first recorded in 1895 as within spitting range.

---

Example Sentences

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index is having its longest winning streak in five years and the broader S&P 500 is within spitting distance of an all-time high.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Longtime Idahoans might remember a time before the state’s population blew up and brought so many new residents within spitting distance of the Owyhees.

From Seattle Times • May 27, 2024

“I am a staunch believer that if you are within spitting distance of a tribe that you should be engaged in outreach to the tribe,” she said.

From Salon • Feb. 6, 2024

“It does help us to grow our business,” says Lien, noting that there are two other boba shops within spitting distance of the location.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2023

A charred bundle of hay, still smoldering, leaned at a drunken angle against a pile of rocks, spitting distance from the barn.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson