at arm's length

Idioms  

1. At a distance, avoiding intimacy or familiarity, as in Bill hated seeing his colleagues outside the office, preferring to keep all of them at arm's length, or She was friendly only when he was safely at arm's length. Now often used with the verb keep, this term for distancing oneself from a person, organization, or issue originated as at arm's end but developed its current form by the mid-1600s.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at arm's length

The tensions of keeping the industry of Hollywood at arm’s length while warmly embracing all the contradictions of the city of Los Angeles have long animated him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Japan had kept Brazil at arm's length in their last-32 tie, got themselves in front, and looked quite comfortable.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

While in space, the crew spoke of the surreal sights of our dusty, rugged natural satellite, appearing about the size of a bowling ball at arm’s length, suspended in the nothingness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

The Moon will appear to the astronauts "about the size of a basketball held at arm's length," Noah Petro, head of NASA's planetary geology lab, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Apr. 5, 2026

Ron held it at arm’s length as it kicked out at him with its horny little feet; he grasped it around the ankles and turned it upside down.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling