distant

adjective

dis·​tant ˈdi-stənt 

1

a

: separated in space : away

a mile distant

b

: situated at a great distance (see distance entry 1 sense 2a) : far-off

a distant galaxy

c

: having a great amount of separation between each other : separated by a great distance from each other : far apart

visiting distant places

distant campuses

d

: far behind

finished a distant third

2

: separated in a relationship other than spatial

a distant cousin

the distant past

3

: different in kind

from two very distant backgrounds

4

: reserved or aloof in personal relationship : cold

was distant and distracted

5

a

: going a long distance

distant voyages

b

: concerned with remote (see remote entry 1 sense 2) things

distant thoughts

distantly adverb

distantness noun

Synonyms

• away
• deep
• far
• faraway
• far-flung
• far-off
• remote
• removed

Examples of distant in a Sentence

In the distant past, dinosaurs roamed the earth.

The day I left home is now a distant memory.

Recent Examples on the Web

The utility on Wednesday was sending 20 tankers with water to support firefighters in the Palisades, and the tankers were having to reload at other distant locations. —Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025

Tankers were reloading water tankers were having to reload at other distant locations. —Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025

The Sky Axe may have spoken, to those who knew its origins, of distant horizons; and now, thanks to the young woman who found it, the skies of the American Midwest are part of its story, too. —Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025

These surrogate daughters — her relationship with her real daughter, Hannah (Billie Lourd), falls somewhere between distant and estranged — are part of Shelly’s social circle, along with Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis), a fellow Razzle Dazzle veteran who’s now a cocktail waitress at a nearby casino. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin distant-, distans, present participle of distare to stand apart, be distant, from dis- + stare to stand — more at stand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing distant

• distant look in someone's eye
• in the not too distant future
• the dim and distant past

Kids Definition

distant

adjective

dis·​tant ˈdis-tənt 

1

a

: separated in space or time : away

b

: being at a great distance : far-off

distant galaxies

c

: far apart

2

: not close in relationship

distant cousin

3

: cold entry 1 sense 2, unfriendly

distantly adverb

distantness noun