distance

American  

[dis-tuhns] / ˈdɪs təns /

noun

• distances
  plural

1. the extent or amount of space between two things, points, lines, etc.

2. the state or fact of being apart in space, as of one thing from another; remoteness.

3. a linear extent of space.

   Seven miles is a distance too great to walk in an hour.

4. an expanse; area.

   A vast distance of water surrounded the ship.

5. the interval between two points of time; an extent of time.

   His vacation period was a good distance away.

6. remoteness or difference in any respect.

   Our philosophies are a long distance apart.

7. an amount of progress.

   We've come a long distance on the project.

8. a distant point, place, or region.

9. the distant part of a field of view.

   a tree in the distance.

10. absence of warmth; reserve.

    Their first meeting in several years was hampered by a certain distance between them.

    Synonyms:

    aloofness, coolness, restraint, remoteness

11. Music. interval.

12. aesthetic distance.

13. Horse Racing. (in a heat race) the space measured back from the winning post that a horse must reach by the time the winner passes the winning post or be eliminated from subsequent heats.

14. Mathematics. the greatest lower bound of differences between points, one from each of two given sets.

15. Obsolete. disagreement or dissension; a quarrel.

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verb (used with object)

• distances,
  present (3rd person singular)
• distanced,
  past participle,  past
• distancing
  present participle

1. to leave behind at a distance, as at a race; surpass.

2. to place at a distance.

3. to cause to appear distant.

idioms

1. go the distance,

   1. (in horse racing) to be able to run well in a long race.

   2. Informal. to finish or complete something, especially something difficult, challenging, or requiring sustained effort.

2. keep at a distance, to treat coldly or in an unfriendly manner.

3. keep one's distance, to avoid becoming familiar or involved; remain cool or aloof.

distance British  

/ ˈdɪstəns /

noun

1. the intervening space between two points or things

2. the length of this gap

3. the state of being apart in space; remoteness

4. an interval between two points in time

5. the extent of progress; advance

6. a distant place or time

   he lives at a distance from his work

7. a separation or remoteness in relationship; disparity

8. geometry

   1. the length of the shortest line segment joining two points

   2. the length along a straight line or curve

9. the most distant or a faraway part of the visible scene or landscape

10. horse racing

    1. a point on a racecourse 240 yards from the winning post

    2. any interval of more than 20 lengths between any two finishers in a race

    3. the part of a racecourse that a horse must reach in any heat before the winner passes the finishing line in order to qualify for later heats

11. 1. boxing to complete a bout without being knocked out

    2. to be able to complete an assigned task or responsibility

12. to maintain a proper or discreet reserve in respect of another person

13. the distant parts of a picture, such as a landscape

14. 1. (in a picture) halfway between the foreground and the horizon

    2. (in a natural situation) halfway between the observer and the horizon

15. (modifier) athletics relating to or denoting the longer races, usually those longer than a mile

    a distance runner

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verb

1. to hold or place at a distance

2. to separate (oneself) mentally or emotionally from something

3. to outdo; outstrip

distance More Idioms  

1. see go the distance; keep one's distance; spitting distance.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• distanceless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• distances
  plural

Participles

• distancing
  present
• distanced
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• distance
  simple
• distances
  simple
• have distanced
  perfect
• has distanced
  perfect
• am distancing
  progressive
• are distancing
  progressive
• is distancing
  progressive
• have been distancing
  perfect progressive
• has been distancing
  perfect progressive

Past

• distanced
  simple
• had distanced
  perfect
• was distancing
  progressive
• were distancing
  progressive
• had been distancing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will distance
  simple
• will have distanced
  perfect
• will be distancing
  progressive
• will have been distancing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of distance

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin distantia, from distant- (stem of distāns “standing apart”; see distant) + -ia -y ³; replacing Middle English destaunce, from Anglo-French

Explanation

Distance is an amount of space between things. From a distance, it's hard to tell if someone's wearing a vampire costume or just a chic black outfit. The noun distance usually refers to physical space in between two objects, like the distance between your parking spot and the entrance to the mall. It can also mean an interval in time, like a distance of two years since you graduated. Another meaning of distance is remoteness, like the distance between you and a close friend who doesn't talk to you much these days. The Latin root is distantia, "a standing apart."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

distance distances distanced distancing

Trailing Spidey by some distance was Christopher Nolan's epic "The Odyssey" which brought in $23.2 million domestically for Universal in its fifth weekend on screen.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

She denies that getting close to the sharks and touching them causes harm: "Most of my work and what I share is respecting and observing from a distance," she says.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

A poolside interlude channels the tension of distance between two people who were once close: The woman grasps a book but seems primarily absorbed in melancholy; the man broods around her.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

From Perseverance's location along the rim of Mars' Jezero Crater, Earth and Phobos present a dramatic contrast in both size and distance.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

She stopped, keeping this distance from the living.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

It is betting that shorter distances will be worth a more intimate guest experience with wildlife.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

Asher-Smith, a world champion over 200m and British record holder over both sprint distances, has amassed 22 senior international medals since making her debut in the women's 4x100m squad at the 2013 World Championships.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

As Weber explains, "they send the newly formed nuclei of their daughter cells gliding across long distances to repopulate the damaged area of the brain and knit the astrocyte network back together."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026

This double-editing distances the reader even further from the author.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

“Do years and distances matter to the dead? Do the Songs lie?”

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

In an interview last week with a local TV news station, Davis denied being in Las Vegas when Tupac was killed and distanced himself from the memoir that lists him as an author.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Soon after, Abehsera, Sazan Real Estate’s chairman, distanced his group from the controversy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

Shah distanced himself from the ads attacking Jackson and called for them to be taken off the air.

From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026

His first book, “Fresh Off the Boat,” became the longest-running network sitcom centered on an Asian American family, even as Huang publicly distanced himself from the show.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

But scientific experimentation is manual labor, from which the slaveholders are preferentially distanced; while it is only the slaveholders—politely called “gentle-men” in some societies—who have the leisure to do science.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

McIntosh told BBC Wales that he was also distancing himself from the comment.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The package had arrived only minutes earlier, so it was pretty clear she wanted to scope out her new neighbors, and during a time of social distancing, this was the perfect excuse.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

That distancing has diminished modern perceptions of her talents and importance, as compared with, most obviously, her better-recorded friend and disciple Bessie Smith.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

On the eve of the election, Sanchez sought to reassure undecided voters and jittery markets, distancing himself from past calls for radical change.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

Because she hardly ever spoke English to him, it sounded cold, distancing.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• area
• gap
• length
• orbit
• radius
• scope
• separation
• size
• space
• span
• stretch
• width