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Meaning & use

removed

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/rɪˈmuːvd/
US/rɪˈmuːvd/

Meanings

  1. adjectiveafter a verb

    Distant or separate from something, either in feeling or in time and place.

    Grammar: Usually followed by from: far removed from reality.

    Patterns

    • removed from something
    • far removed from something

    Her life in the city felt far removed from her childhood village.

    He seemed removed from the argument and watched quietly.

    The author is removed from the events by two centuries.

  2. adjectiveafter a verbtechnical

    Describing the number of generations between two relatives who are not of the same generation, in once removed or twice removed.

    Grammar: Always follows a family term and a number word: cousin once removed.

    Patterns

    • once removed
    • twice removed

    She is my first cousin once removed, the daughter of my cousin.

    We are second cousins twice removed.

  3. adjectivebefore a noun

    Taken away, as in a part, item or person no longer in place.

    Grammar: Past participle used as adjective: the removed stitches.

    Patterns

    • the removed item

    The removed files were stored on a backup drive.

    The removed tree left a gap in the garden.

Common combinations

far removed from
The theory is far removed from everyday experience.
once removed
He is my cousin once removed.
emotionally removed
He stayed emotionally removed during the meeting.
removed from office
The official was removed from office last year.
somewhat removed
The novel is somewhat removed from real events.

Synonyms and how they differ

detached
Detached describes an emotional distance from others, which removed can also show but more broadly.
remote
Remote suggests being far away in space or time, whereas removed implies separate or distanced from something specific.
distant
Distant is more general, and removed usually takes from to name what you are away from.
aloof
Aloof suggests cold unfriendliness, but removed can just mean apart without any chill.

Opposites

closeinvolved

Word family

remove verb
to take something away
removal noun
the act of taking something away
remover noun
a substance or person that removes
removable adjective
able to be taken off or out

Commonly confused: removed or remote?

removed vs remote

Remote means far away or isolated, while removed is usually followed by from to show separation from a particular thing.

Practice

My mother's cousin is my first cousin once ___.

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