Meaning & use
distance
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
The amount of space between two places or things, or how far apart they are.
Grammar: Countable with a measure: a distance of two miles; uncountable in general: at a distance.
Patterns
- the distance between things
- a distance of something
- in the distance
The distance between the two towns is about ten miles.
We could see mountains in the distance.
She drove a long distance to see her grandmother.
nounsingular
A feeling of emotional coldness or lack of closeness between people.
Grammar: Usually singular with a: a distance between them.
Patterns
- a distance between people
- keep your distance
A growing distance developed between the two friends.
He kept his distance after the argument.
There was a polite distance in her manner.
verbtransitive
To separate yourself from someone or something, to avoid being linked with them.
Grammar: Used with a reflexive object: distance yourself from something.
Patterns
- distance yourself from someone
- distance yourself from something
The company tried to distance itself from the scandal.
She distanced herself from her old friends.
The senator distanced himself from the controversial remark.
Word forms
| plural | distances |
|---|---|
| third person singular | distances |
| past tense | distanced |
| past participle | distanced |
| -ing form | distancing |
Common combinations
- in the distance
- A church tower rose in the distance.
- keep your distance
- Keep your distance from the edge.
- walking distance
- The beach is within walking distance.
- long-distance
- They have a long-distance relationship.
- distance yourself from
- He tried to distance himself from the rumor.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gap
- Gap suggests an empty space or difference between things, while distance is the measured amount.
- span
- Span measures from end to end of something, such as a bridge.
- remoteness
- Remoteness describes how far from others a place is.
- detach
- Detach is close to the verb sense but often means physically separate.
Opposites
Word family
- distant adjective
- far away in space or time, or cold in manner
- distantly adverb
- from a long way away or in a remote way
- distancing noun
- the act of keeping apart
- far adjective
- a related word of space
Commonly confused: distance or distant? distance or instance?
distance vs distant
Distant is the adjective, as in a distant star, whereas distance is the noun.
distance vs instance
Instance means an example or occurrence, and looks similar to distance.
Practice
The minister tried to ____ himself from the controversial policy.
Choose one answer.
Distance yourself from is the standard verb pattern. Distant and far are adjectives, and remove does not take a reflexive in this way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “distance”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.