arm's-length
Americanadjective
adjective
-
lacking intimacy or friendliness, esp when possessing some special connection, such as previous closeness
we now have an arm's-length relationship
-
(of commercial transactions) in accordance with market values, disregarding any connection such as common ownership of the companies involved
Etymology
Origin of arm's-length
First recorded in 1645–55
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.
They have no good options, but a shift to an arm’s-length relationship is likely to make for a less pleasant business environment for U.S. companies operating overseas.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026
Disclosure rules similarly make anonymous trading and arm’s-length shareholding safe.
From Barron's • Jan. 2, 2026
The merger appeared to be as far from an arm’s-length transaction as human arms could allow.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2024
Most Americans assess this conflict the way they do many others: at arm’s-length and an ocean away.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 20, 2023
She did not doubt that he would propose before he left her that afternoon, and yet she wanted to keep him at arm’s-length as long as she could.
From Vistas of New York by Matthews, Brander
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.
