at arm's length
idiom
1
: from a distance that is the length of a person's arm
It's best to view the painting at arm's length.
holding a candle at arm's length
2
: in a condition that individuals act independently and without one having undue influence over another
a deal arranged at arm's length
Examples of at arm's length in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For scale, the tip of your little finger held at arm's length accounts for roughly 1 degree of sky.
—
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Bryant went 6 of 7 from the free-throw line over the final two minutes of the fourth quarter to keep the Hurricane at arm's length and walk away with a tough 79-71 victory at Hornet Arena.
—Erick Taylor, Arkansas Online, 10 Jan. 2026
Cornyn sought to keep Trump at arm's length at the start of both the 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 28 Dec. 2025
Presidential preferences are supposed to be held at arm's length from such reviews by antitrust regulators at the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Justice Department.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at arm's length
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Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Bryant went 6 of 7 from the free-throw line over the final two minutes of the fourth quarter to keep the Hurricane at arm's length and walk away with a tough 79-71 victory at Hornet Arena.
—Erick Taylor, Arkansas Online, 10 Jan. 2026
Cornyn sought to keep Trump at arm's length at the start of both the 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 28 Dec. 2025
Presidential preferences are supposed to be held at arm's length from such reviews by antitrust regulators at the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Justice Department.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at arm's length
Cite this Entry
“At arm's length.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20arm%27s%20length. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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