B2adjective2K

Distant

UK /["/ˈdɪstənt/"]/US /["/ˈdɪstənt/"]/

Definition

far away in space or time

In simple words: Far away in space or time.

Examples

  • The distant mountains were barely visible through the morning mist.
  • She felt a distant memory of her childhood while looking at the old photographs.
  • They lived in a distant country that few tourists visit.
  • His tone was distant, as if he was not fully interested in the conversation.
  • The distant sound of a train blowing its horn echoed in the valley.

Usage notes

Used to describe things or people that are far away. It can refer to physical distance or emotional separation. Avoid in informal contexts when describing close relationships.

Grammar pattern

standalone adjective

Memory hint

Think of 'distant' as being like a distant star, far away and hard to reach.

Collocations

  • be
  • sound
  • become
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • from
  • two miles distant
  • three days distant
  • etc.
  • be
  • feel
  • look
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • cold and distant
  • be
  • feel
  • look
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • cold and distant

Synonyms

  • remote

Antonyms

  • near
  • close
  • proximate

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'distant' vs 'dissident' in spelling and meaning.
  • Incorrectly using it to describe nearby objects.
  • Using 'distant' in an emotional context without acknowledging closeness.