1
as in retreating
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2
as in discarding
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distancing
Verb
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At the opening, Natalie, bored and filled with loathing for her parents, flees her family home by retreating into imaginary worlds of vivid, eroticized violence.—
Erin Somers,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026 -
Even with state and federal backing, developers are retreating and selling properties, signaling that grassroots activism is fundamentally reshaping Big Tech’s expansion strategy.—
Marc Levy,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Let the masks sit for 10 minutes under the eyes, discarding after use and patting in excess serum.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
27 Oct. 2025
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She is accused of killing her 39-year-old boyfriend, David Carter, dismembering him then discarding his body parts along I-75 near Hancock, Ohio in September 2018.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While restoring their father's (Ving Rhames) receding hairline in the underworld, the titular demon brothers (Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key) discover their dad's hair cream can bring the dead back to life.—
Emy LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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Due to the Doppler effect, the speedy gas swirling towards Earth glows blue, while the receding gas glows red.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Joanna's youngest son, Crew, 7, then runs out of the house with his arms open, flinging himself around his sister.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
18 Dec. 2025
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Zoeller defeated Sneed and Tom Watson with a birdie on the second playoff hole, flinging his putter high in the air.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That’s why Rotary members, also embedded in these same communities, have played a vital role in not just funding and organizing campaigns, but also dispelling doubts and ensuring no child is left behind.—
Dr. Tunji Funsho,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
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Now more than ever, Evavold said Halloween is about bringing families and youngsters together rather than dispelling trouble that might be brewing.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Countries like China let their industries pollute freely, dumping chemicals into rivers, pumping toxins into the air and throwing plastics into the ocean.—
Chip Lamarca,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
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Lately on TikTok, people have been dumping frozen orange juice concentrate into blenders alongside Greek yogurt, bananas, and other fridge and pantry staples to recreate the viral Orange Julius smoothie.—
Ashia Aubourg,
Outside,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And Gen Zers are leading the charge in ditching paper for plastic.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
1 Nov. 2025
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Weekends have a different vibe altogether — wedding parties, Bay Area couples ditching the Central Valley heat, city dwellers chasing a calmer scene.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When Mars conjuncts the sun in Capricorn, this alignment activates our ambition, drive and desires, while shedding light on long-term strategies (or the lack thereof).—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
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The unusual discovery is shedding light on the complex nature of largely unknown funerary practices of African hunter-gatherers — and raises the question of why such effort was made to cremate only one person.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
6 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Distancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distancing. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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