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
1
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
IEEE Spectrum, 6 Nov. 2025
The squat check With your feet a little wider than hip distance, drop down into a comfortable, deep squat position.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Now, The Mirror is reporting there are even more people trying to distance themselves from them.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distance
Noun
The two cities are 60 kilometers apart, a distance Hull 096 is expected to travel in 90 minutes.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 Nov. 2025
The squat check With your feet a little wider than hip distance, drop down into a comfortable, deep squat position.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
Perhaps the biggest name to distance itself from BHV is Disney, with Disneyland Paris abandoning plans to design BHV’s famous Christmas window displays this year, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Now, The Mirror is reporting there are even more people trying to distance themselves from them.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distance
Noun
-
The jeans also have a cropped length that hits right at the ankle and patch pockets that not only look cute, but are also functional.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Because with that story, in particular, the way that chimp behaved and also looked — the body size, the hair length, everything.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
One of the original Florida state parks, opened to the public in 1935, the 13,000-acre expanse felt more like Georgia or North Carolina with its high plateaus, steep ravines, waterfalls, and seasonal foliage.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
-
After passing through a gate, the trail scrambles up the backside of Chicken Point, a broad open expanse of slickrock surrounded by abrupt colorful cliffs with views spilling across the valley.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The difference is a handful of defenders get Moss’d every week.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
However, there's a significant difference between containing and controlling a wildfire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
As climate change causes sea ice to retreat and the melting zone to expand, these microbes are expected to add more nitrogen to the ocean.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Although Ukraine for now is still maintaining a defense, the fall of Pokrovsk would be one of the most serious defeats Ukraine has suffered since March, when its troops were forced to retreat from Russia's Kursk region.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In the communications, NASA managers wrote that equipment not moved in time — including one-of-a-kind hardware — could be thrown away or donated.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Uncle Bud’s, a bagel’s throw away, is feeding kids 12 and under in needy families free of charge, Wednesday through Sunday, until the end of the government shutdown.—
Evan Mealins,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
These frequencies, Weber argued, had to be large, as gravitational waves passing through them would only induce a size change of a fraction-of-a-proton’s width.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Pruning Pruning will help restrict the height or width of the tree if desired and is sometimes needed to remove damage from winter dieback after extremely cold temperatures.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The expansion of the role of pharmacies has meant that paying cash for generic drugs and services can also be cheaper at times.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
However, the major result emerging from this research is the implication that the universe is not expanding at an accelerating rate, but has already transitioned into a state of decelerating expansion.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The winds are gone, the water has receded, but the scars will last.—
David Culver,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
-
But as Toronto’s lead slipped away, after allowing back-breaking homers in the eighth, ninth and 11th innings, those warm thoughts receded.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distance. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share