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

Across the universe An animation showcases recently discovered gigantic jets that emanate from a supermassive black hole in a distant galaxy 7.5 billion light-years from Earth. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 28 Sep. 2024

Tens of thousands of such robots would slowly work their way through rocks in our solar system’s Main Asteroid Belt and eventually the outer solar system —- including the icy objects of the Kuiper Belt, and the far distant Oort Cloud of comets, says Cockell. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. —Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2024

But as the trailer continues, the former friends grow increasingly distant when Cosby throws Marks out of her house. —Charna Flam, People.com, 28 Sep. 2024

He’s seen as distant from the right-wing faction of the party centered around the late Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister who was murdered in 2022, having reportedly turned down several cabinet posts under him. —Charlie Campbell, TIME, 27 Sep. 2024

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