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
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
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
Coming in a distant second is Route 66, which has a still impressive 191,000 Google searches monthly.
—
Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2024
Conley’s career veered into the distant land of the practice squad the past two seasons.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2024
So, maybe someone in your immediate family posted something online that the distant relatives didn’t like.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2024
These events make clear that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a current crisis affecting every corner of our existence.
—Thais Lopez Vogel, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distant 
Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2024
Conley’s career veered into the distant land of the practice squad the past two seasons.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2024
So, maybe someone in your immediate family posted something online that the distant relatives didn’t like.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2024
These events make clear that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a current crisis affecting every corner of our existence.
—Thais Lopez Vogel, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distant
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'distant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near distant
Cite this Entry
“Distant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distant. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
distant
adjective
dis·tant
ˈdis-tənt 
1
2
: not close in relationship
distant cousin
distantly
adverb
distantness
noun
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