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

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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
Visibility may vary over short distances and decrease to one quarter to one half mile in some areas. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 Sep. 2026 Just getting to this part of Tibet is an effort; the distances in this region are vast. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Verb
El-Sayed sought to distance himself from the controversy, calling antisemitism a scourge and saying Piker does not speak for the campaign, but not disavowing Piker himself. — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026 Political allies of the settlers occasionally distance themselves from the military arm’s actions, and on rare occasions even condemn them. — Amos Harel, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 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
  • Walker called Freeling a coachable player with great length who benefited from blocking Jaelan Phillips every day this summer.
    — Joseph Person, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The prize consists in the acquisition of the non-commercial and non-exclusive broadcasting rights for five years for a value of €4,000 – €6,000 depending on the genre and length of the film and the number of available territories.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of length
Noun
  • Gauff knocked the ball into a rectangular expanse of blue, as Jović stood in the doubles alley and doubled over to her knees, trying to catch her breath.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • On Florida’s Paradise Coast, an expanse of shoreline running from Naples to the Everglades on the state’s southwest coast, lies Marco Island.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of expanse
Noun
  • That difference in speed is itself information about its path, so no interference pattern would appear.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Yes, that’s right, Grambling State’s nationally renowned band could be a difference-maker on the road.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of difference
Verb
  • Officials say people who encounter a wolf should not run, but rather make noises, maintain eye contact and retreat slowly.
    — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • There was television, which, starting in the nineteen-fifties, kept kids indoors; also, houses got a lot bigger, and families smaller, so that most kids suddenly had the option of retreating to their own bedrooms.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of retreat
Verb
  • Employees beverages without lids were on prep tables; beverages were thrown away.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The slew of eateries at Pavilion Road are just a stone’s throw away, and the hotel is a short stroll from the design shops and boutiques of King’s Road and Sloane Street.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of throw away
Noun
  • That will allow Castagne and Robinson to continue getting forward to provide width, while sacrificing one of the midfielders for an extra player in the back line.
    — Thom Harris, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • This results in a world of patchwork range widths, inconsistent pay progression and incomplete or outdated surveys as leaders hop from one survey provider to another to account for low n-count.
    — Maria Colacurcio, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of width
Noun
  • Amazon has already funded a significant expansion in ULA launch capability to support the Amazon Leo constellation.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The analysts expect China’s semiconductor capital spending to reach $82 billion by 2030, driven by capacity expansion in memory and advanced nodes amid a growing generative AI trend.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz,Jenny Lee,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 11 Sep. 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
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Cite this Entry

“Distance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distance. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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