distance 1 of 2

noun

ˈdi-stən(t)s How to pronounce distance (audio)
Definition of distancenext
1
as in length
the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects the distance between the earth and the sun is about 93 million miles

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in expanse
a wide space or area a region marked by great, featureless distances

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in difference
the quality or state of being different the brothers' personalities are like the distance between night and day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

distance

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to retreat

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to throw away

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distance
Noun
Aston Martin says the changes are designed to improve response, precision and control without sacrificing the refinement required for long-distance road driving. — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Andy carried multiple pairs of glasses, for reading, computer distance, and outdoor distance. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
The Panthers are trying to distance themselves from last year’s forgettable 1-11 season. — Stan Awtrey, AJC.com, 5 Aug. 2026 And in New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has tried to distance himself from his past criticisms of the city’s police department and a previous call to defund the agency. — ABC News, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for distance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distance
  1. length
  2. expanse
  3. difference
  4. retreat
  5. throw away
  6. width
  7. expansion
  8. distinctness
Noun
  • Sammour points to 16-18 inches as the sweet spot, a length that settles at the collarbone and flatters nearly any neckline.
    — Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Wood is a big winger as well and can use his length to maintain possession and win battles.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of length
Noun
  • It’s presented as an impressionistic historical montage, of Black farmworkers and the land, with clips of Black history that include modern suburbs, and a woman—Z herself—who gazes out of a door into a sere expanse of land bordered by low mountains.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Farms bring to mind the smell of hay, the sound of gravel crunching underfoot, horses snorting, grass swaying in the rolling fields, and the vast expanse of the star-studded sky.
    — Jeffrey Dungan, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of expanse
Noun
  • The two started off as enemies as Judy joined the Zootopia Police Department, but then put aside their differences to solve a mystery in the animal city.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • There is a difference in the cases of Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, in that the former has been far more involved in some monumental moments.
    — Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of difference
Verb
  • Netanyahu says Israel will not retreat from any of its positions in Gaza until Hamas has been completely disarmed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • When the Hills couple faced financial issues after the show ended, the two retreated to Pratt’s parents’ beach home in Carpinteria, California, to get back to regular life.
    — Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of retreat
Verb
  • One could attribute this to the city’s stark architectural contrasts; for example, the uber-modern Millennium Stadium was built a stone’s throw away from the 2,000-year-old Cardiff Castle in the medieval heart of town.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • When play resumed after the long delay, Rishabh Pant (39) attacked the bowling but only managed to throw away his wicket.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of throw away
Noun
  • He is involved in fewer one-versus-one situations, but he is still being asked to provide width at times.
    — Andy Jones, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Nanoplastics are tiny nanoparticles of plastic one one-thousandth the average width of a human hair — small enough to pass through the tissues of the digestive tract or lungs and enter your bloodstream.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of width
Noun
  • But the team has maintained its commitment to San Antonio and framed its expansion into Austin as a plan to make the two cities one massive market.
    — Jared Weiss, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Yet for Asian countries that endured Japanese imperial rule and expansion, Yasukuni remains a symbol of Japan’s militarism.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of expansion
Noun
  • How can the sense of an absolute union of all matter be reconciled with the endless multiplicity and distinctness of it?
    — Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
  • However, a few hours with Air Riders reveals the nuance and depth of its gameplay, the distinctness of this flavor of racing game and its sensory, chaotic, and strategic appeal.
    — Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025
Definition of distinctness

Phrases Containing distance

Browse Nearby Words

distains
distance
distanced
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distance. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on distance

Nglish: Translation of distance for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of august

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All