distant

adjective

dis·​tant ˈdi-stənt 

1

a

: separated in space : away

a mile distant

b

: situated at a great distance (see distance entry 1 sense 2a) : far-off

a distant galaxy

c

: having a great amount of separation between each other : separated by a great distance from each other : far apart

visiting distant places

distant campuses

d

: far behind

finished a distant third

2

: separated in a relationship other than spatial

a distant cousin

the distant past

3

: different in kind

from two very distant backgrounds

4

: reserved or aloof in personal relationship : cold

was distant and distracted

5

a

: going a long distance

distant voyages

b

: concerned with remote (see remote entry 1 sense 2) things

distant thoughts

distantly adverb

distantness noun

Synonyms of distant

• away
• far
• deep
• removed
• remote

Examples of distant in a Sentence

In the distant past, dinosaurs roamed the earth.

The day I left home is now a distant memory.

Recent Examples on the Web

Assemblymember Alex Bores, had 35%, followed by Schlossberg, who trailed in a distant third with less than 11%. — Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 24 June 2026

The powerful shaking from the initial earthquake may have facilitated the arrival of the wave from the core, which reactivated the fault around the main quake as well as triggering movement along more distant plate intersections, Park said. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 23 June 2026

Most people in your position would have gone on Johnny Carson, pushed it as far as possible, and put their families a distant second. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2026

The Australian system, developed over 40 years, works by refracting high-frequency electromagnetic waves off the ionosphere to detect distant objects that are invisible to conventional radars because of Earth’s curvature. — Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin distant-, distans, present participle of distare to stand apart, be distant, from dis- + stare to stand — more at stand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing distant

• distant look in someone's eye
• in the not too distant future
• the dim and distant past

Rhymes for distant

• assistant
• consistent
• existent
• insistent
• persistent
• resistant
• subsistent
• coexistent
• equidistant
• inconsistent
• nonexistent
• preexistent

Kids Definition

distant

adjective

dis·​tant ˈdis-tənt 

1

a

: separated in space or time : away

b

: being at a great distance : far-off

distant galaxies

c

: far apart

2

: not close in relationship

distant cousin

3

: cold entry 1 sense 2, unfriendly

distantly adverb

distantness noun