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
Suresh Basnet, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Kelley’s removal and the fallout caused significant division, with many longtime parishioners distancing themselves from the church.
—Noah Perkins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025
Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 1 July 2025
This was what turning ten meant to me—not a celebration of what had come before but a thankful distance from the familiar elements of my life.
—Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for distance
Noun
While some companies publicly distance themselves from ESG terminology, their actions tell a different story when faced with shareholder interests.
—Suresh Basnet, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Kelley’s removal and the fallout caused significant division, with many longtime parishioners distancing themselves from the church.
—Noah Perkins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025
Verb
Even on Zoom, the Wyoming sky is clearly in the background, with an expanse of ranch land stretching out into the distance.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 1 July 2025
This was what turning ten meant to me—not a celebration of what had come before but a thankful distance from the familiar elements of my life.
—Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for distance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distance
Noun
-
Money measures value the way a clock measures time, a ruler measures length and a scale measures weight.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
Beaches on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast The Pacific coast runs the length of the country’s western edge, and the landscape is more varied and rugged than on the Caribbean.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Places like Antarctica, Tasmania, and New Zealand sometimes offer glimpses of the elusive southern lights, but one of the most compelling places to witness the celestial event is in Patagonia, the mountainous expanse that straddles southern Argentina and Chile.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
6 July 2025
-
Arizona, with its abundant sun, lack of oil and gas resources, open desert expanses and business-friendly policies, has been a leader in welcoming clean energy progress incentivized by Biden-era programs.—
Joan Meiners,
AZCentral.com,
3 July 2025
Noun
-
Explore the differences between blanco, reposado, and añejo, learn about the traditional distillation process, and discover what makes a truly exceptional pour.—
Essence,
Essence,
10 July 2025
-
One difference to fungal wilts is that the leaf tissue of plants infected by bacterial wilt tends to stay green even as the plant wilts.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
And in this story, Superman retreats from the world after being rejected by the public for adhering to an older moral code.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 July 2025
-
But after several major box office debacles, including Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Apple retreated.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
The recalled turkey bacon should be thrown away or returned to where it was purchased.—
Monroe Hammond,
EverydayHealth.com,
8 July 2025
-
For each meal purchased during Louisville Restaurant Week, $1 will be donated to Feed Louisville, a nonprofit that saves food from being thrown away and repurposes it into meals for the local homeless and food insecure community.—
Amanda Hancock,
The Courier-Journal,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
The speed limit will be reduced to 35 mph in the work zone, and 12-foot width restrictions will be in place.—
Shannon Tyler
July 8,
Idaho Statesman,
8 July 2025
-
On another stretch of the Green River, downstream near Rockport, the waterway had swollen to nearly five times its normal width from bank to bank.—
Keisha Rowe,
The Courier-Journal,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Plans for expansion to New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago in 2026 demonstrate the tour’s national ambitions.—
Essence,
Essence,
10 July 2025
-
Practice Belly Breathing Many people take shallow, fast breaths while running, limiting the expansion of their lungs.—
Aubrey Bailey,
Verywell Health,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
The sheriff's office in Kerr County said more than 800 people had been evacuated or rescued from the region as floodwaters receded over the weekend.—
Susan Miller,
USA Today,
6 July 2025
-
Ryan’s body wasn’t recovered until waters receded, according to CNN affiliate KHOU.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distance. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share