keep (someone or something) at arm's length
idiom
: to avoid being very close to or friendly with someone or something
Since going to college, he has kept his old friends at arm's length.
They no longer trust her and are keeping her at arm's length.
Examples of keep (someone or something) at arm's length in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Androids in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero don't require a particular type of energy usually needed in the game to fly, and these players had been using this to run out the timer on the match by flying away from their opponent, using the advantage from not needing energy to keep at arm's length.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024
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.
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near keep (someone or something) at arm's length
keep (someone) on his/her toes
keep (someone or something) at arm's length
Cite this Entry
“Keep (someone or something) at arm's length.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20%28someone%20or%20something%29%20at%20arm%27s%20length. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share