distant
Americanadjective
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far off or apart in space; not near at hand; remote or removed (often followed byfrom ).
a distant place; a town three miles distant from here.
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apart or far off in time.
distant centuries past.
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remote or far apart in any respect.
a distant relative.
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reserved or aloof; not familiar or cordial.
a distant greeting.
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arriving from or going to a distance, as a communication, journey, etc..
I have here a distant letter from Japan.
adjective
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far away or apart in space or time
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(postpositive) separated in space or time by a specified distance
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apart in relevance, association, or relationship
a distant cousin
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coming from or going to a faraway place
a distant journey
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remote in manner; aloof
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abstracted; absent
a distant look
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of distant
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English dista(u)nt, from Anglo-French, from Latin distant-, stem of distāns “standing apart,” present participle of distāre “to stand apart,” from di- di- 2 + stāre “to stand”; see also stand
Explanation
Distant describes something that's far away, like another planet, a ship far out at sea, or the cousin who never calls or shows up for family events. Time, like miles, can make something distant. People get excited during awards season, but most have at best a distant recollection of who won Oscars two years ago — meaning the memory is remote. If you've ever been accused of seeming distant, how were you acting at the time? Distracted, not showing much interest or patience, bored? Too many experiences like that and once-close friends will become distant, meaning they'll drift apart.
Vocabulary lists containing distant
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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Remote Learning: Synonyms for "Far"
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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.
Neutrinos originate from many different places, including the Sun, distant regions of space, and sources scientists have yet to identify.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
To limit spending on gas, many customers bike or walk to a Dollar General store rather than driving to a more distant competitor, Chief Executive Todd Vasos told investors recently.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026
It waxed and waned as the attacks grew more distant.
From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026
A chattering squirrel or darting bunny might distract or call up a distant memory.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
On the eastern horizon, just above the distant blackness of the High Mountains, he found it: the starry shoulder of the Great Auroch.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
