distant

distant
distant, far, faraway, far-off, remote, removed mean not near or close but separated by an obvious interval especially in space or in time.
Distant carries a stronger reference to the length of the interval (whether long or short) than the other terms; only when it directly qualifies a noun does it necessarily imply that the interval is markedly long
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a book held six inches distant from the eyes

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the sun is about 93,000,000 miles distant from the earth

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a distant city

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the other item, on a distant page, was cheerfully headed "Food from Sewage"— Krutch

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at a distant date

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I do not ask to see the distant scene,—one step enough for me— Newman

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Far, except for the possible reference to a short distance involved in the question "How farT applies (as adverb as well as adjective) only to what is a long way off
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[he] took his journey into a far country— Lk 15:13

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take a far view in planning for future needs of the city

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go back in the far past to a common origin— Kroeber

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across the hills, and far away beyond their utmost purple rim— Tennyson

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Faraway and far-off not only mean extremely far but are preferred when distance in time is specifically implied
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old, unhappy, far-off things, and battles long ago— Wordsworth

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However, both may suggest distance in space
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a cheer that started the echo in a faraway hill— Stevenson

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the far-off places in which he had been wandering— Dickens

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Remote suggests a far removal, especially from something (as one's present location, one's point of view, or one's time) regarded as a center or vantage ground
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some forlorn and naked hermitage, remote from all the pleasures of the world— Shak.

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the sands of a remote and lonely shore— Shelley

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whose nature it was to care more for immediate annoyances than for remote consequences— George Eliot

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Removed, which is usually a predicate adjective, carries a stronger implication of separateness and distinction than remote; it therefore usually implies a contrast between two things apart not only in space or in time but in character or quality
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an age far removed from the present age in its accomplishments and ideals

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he sought a retreat removed from all centers of population

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with peace as far removed as it had been at the time of his election— Paxsori

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Figuratively, distant implies slightness of connection or aloofness of manner
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a distant resemblance

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a distant nod

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Remote imputes to the thing so described a foreign or alien character or an inaccessible nature
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I told Oliver about your modern monastery; but the thing is too remote from his experience to have any interest for him— Santayana

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the captain of a ship at sea is a remote, inaccessible creature . . . alone of his kind, depending on nobody— Conrad

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Removed stresses difference, often a diametrical or antithetical difference
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to Queen Scheherazade the dream might have seemed not far removed from commonplace— Hardy

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he was not an oracle removed from the people, but a real human being— Bok

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he accepted the nomination for considerations entirely removed from those influencing the average candidate

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Contrasted words: near, *close, nigh, nearby

New Dictionary of Synonyms. 2014.

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  • distant — distant, ante [ distɑ̃, ɑ̃t ] adj. • 1361; lat. distans, de distare « être éloigné » 1 ♦ Qui est à une certaine distance. ⇒ éloigné, loin. Ces deux villes sont distantes l une de l autre d environ cent kilomètres. Événements distants (l un de l… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Distant — Dis tant, a. [F., fr. L. distans, antis, p. pr. of distare to stand apart, be separate or distant; dis + stare to stand. See {Stand}.] 1. Separated; having an intervening space; at a distance; away. [1913 Webster] One board had two tenons,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • distant — DISTÁNT, Ă, distanţi, te, adj. (Despre oameni) Care este de o politeţe rece şi puţin comunicativă în relaţiile cu ceilalţi, care este rezervat; (despre atitudinea, manifestările oamenilor) care exprimă, trădează pe omul distant. – Din fr. distant …   Dicționar Român

  • Distant — may refer to: Distant (album), an album by Sarge Distant (film), the North American title of a Turkish film released as Uzak William Lucas Distant (1845 1922), an English entomologist Distant signal in railway signalling This disambiguation page… …   Wikipedia

  • distant — [dis′tənt] adj. [ME distaunt < L distans: see DISTANCE] 1. having a gap or space between; separated 2. widely separated; far apart or far away in space or time 3. at a measured interval; away [a town 100 miles distant] 4. far apart in… …   English World dictionary

  • distant — distant, ante (di stan, stan t ) adj. Qui est à une certaine distance, en parlant des lieux. Ces deux villes sont distantes l une de l autre de cent kilomètres. •   Un homme qui était à côté de Josèphe, reçut un coup de pierre qui lui emporta la… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • distant — late 14c., from O.Fr. distant (14c.), from L. distantem (nom. distans), prp. of distare to stand apart, be remote (see DISTANCE (Cf. distance)). Related: Distantly …   Etymology dictionary

  • distant — [adj1] faraway abroad, abstracted, apart, a piece, arm’s length*, asunder, away, backwoods, beyond range, far, far back, farflung, far off, farther, further, inaccessible, indirect, in the background, in the boonies*, in the distance, in the… …   New thesaurus

  • distant — ► ADJECTIVE 1) far away in space or time. 2) at a specified distance. 3) remote or far apart in resemblance or relationship: a distant acquaintance. 4) aloof or reserved. 5) remote; abstracted. DERIVATIVES distantly adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • Distant — (v. lat.), entfernt, abstehend; daher Distanz (lat. Distantia, fr. Distance, spr. Distangs), 1) Entfernung, Abstand zweier Dinge; wird durch die zwischen beiden denkbare gerade Linie bestimmt; 2) der Abstand der Geschütze von einander; 3) der… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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