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

The opportunity again presented itself, and Harrison took it on from distance, but the ball came up well short.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Instead, keep a safe distance, back away slowly, and let the bear know you are there by making yourself look bigger and yelling or clapping.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

Pattinson portrays Hansen as a caricature of himself, accentuating the journalist’s unmistakable vocal cadence to remove any distance between “To Catch a Predator” and the man behind the show.

From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026

Law enforcement policed criminal activity; agencies with national-security duties kept their distance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

It was some distance down the ravine, moving effortlessly through the snow.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

The ports of the world’s biggest importer unload more than $1 trillion of stuff each year, and then businesses move that stuff over longer distances than almost any other major economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

"As with microscopy, higher energies mean smaller wavelengths, allowing one to probe smaller distances."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

“Flying these distances is only worth doing if our customers arrive feeling their best.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Alvarez said many students are “working adults, parents, caregivers, and first-generation students who are rooted in their communities and cannot relocate or commute long distances to earn a degree.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

As the oceans warm, it is likely that the Irukandji, like other jellies, will continue to migrate over greater distances.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin

With Cerimedo’s name now toxic, Paz, Milei and other former allies have distanced themselves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

But they distanced themselves from his political manoeuvres.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

Evans' colleague Iain McIntosh also distanced himself from the now-deleted comment, which was made by Reform UK Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd on Facebook, and said he had asked for it to be deleted.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

We were close—somehow related—while also distanced by careful reserve.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Much like COVID-era social distancing rules, this will lower the risk of H5N1 transmission by keeping birds separate.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026

“I don’t like the distancing I’m seeing from some of the councillors, that ‘We know better than you,’ because, frankly, they don’t,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

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

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

During the 2021 season, NFL players who had not received a COVID-19 vaccination were subject to daily tests for the virus and restrictions, such as wearing masks inside team facilities and practicing social distancing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

It let her feel like she was distancing herself from her mother, who Terryl always felt put on airs that everything was okay.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

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