↔️ Space between 🌄 Far place 🙅 To withdraw 🧊 Lack of closeness ⏳ Time gap 🏃 To move ahead

to distance

1 6.2

To move ahead of others in a race or competition

verb
/ˈdɪstəns/

: distanciarse de

But the Cyprus adventure backfired and prompted Washington to distance itself from the regime.

Examples

The United States, whose policymakers were encouraging a democratic government, began to distance itself.

Academic text (1990)
The champion swimmer sought to distance herself from her competitors right from the start.
We can distance them, but they can distance us, right?
This morning he out-distanced me beautifully.

Gilda (1946)
Modern American society has tried to distance itself from end-of-life fretfulness.

Academic text (2015)
The cyclist managed to distance herself from the group, ensuring an easy victory.
In the final lap, he distanced the other runners with a strong burst of speed.

Synonyms

to get ahead

vsto distance

109 3.4

Do better than others, for example at work or school

describes moving ahead but often as a general advantage, not race-specific

to outpace

vsto distance

19 4.9

To move, grow, or develop faster than another

advances ahead without emphasizing speed as main feature

to outstrip

vsto distance

12 6.8

To become faster, better, or larger than another

moves ahead but is more about improving size or performance

to outdistance

vsto distance

2 6.7

Get much farther ahead of other people in a race or competition

moves ahead but not necessarily by a large margin

to draw away

vsto distance

1 4.6

To move ahead of others in a race or competition

is used for moving ahead generally, not only during races

to outrace

vsto distance

1 5.9

To get ahead of others in progress or achievement

focuses on competition or race context instead of mainly development

Antonyms

to follow

∞ 1.0

To come after something in time or order

to lag

63 3.0

To move or develop more slowly than others

Idioms

to be within striking distance

3 4.7

Close enough to get what you want soon

to keep one's distance (from)

4.2

To stay away from people or things to avoid close contact

Phrasal Verbs

to go the distance

22 4.6

To keep working on a task until it is finished, even when it is hard

to distance oneself from

1 7.0

Keep away from someone or something to show no connection

to keep one's distance

1 3.9

To stay away from people or things to avoid close contact

Compounds

long-distance

82 3.4

That goes over a large distance for travel, sport, or relationships

long-distance

36 3.0

A telephone call to a place far away that may cost more

long distance

35 3.2

A phone call to a place far away that costs extra

long-distance call

16 2.3

A phone conversation with someone in another area that costs extra

striking distance

10 5.1

A short distance close enough to reach a goal, like a summit or victory

middle distance

3 3.7

The part of a picture or view between things near you and things far away

long-distance runner

2 2.7

A person who takes part in races over long distances like marathons

distance vision

Specialized

1 4.2

Being able to see things clearly from far away

healthy distance

1 4.2

A space between people that keeps them comfortable and respected

mean distance

Specialized

1 8.5

Average of the farthest and nearest distances of a planet or satellite from the body it orbits

focal distance

Specialized

1 5.2

The distance from a lens or mirror to the point where parallel light rays meet

angular distance

Specialized

1 8.2

The angle between two objects as seen from one place, measured in degrees

hyperfocal distance

Specialized

1 9.1

Distance from the camera lens to the nearest point that looks sharp when the lens is focused very far away

angular distance

Specialized

8.3

The angle between two vectors that shows how different they are

skip distance

Specialized

9.9

The shortest distance from a radio transmitter where radio waves bounced by the ionosphere can be picked up

How Far

to pull away

153 3.5

to distance

1 6.2

to pull ahead

13 3.4

Surface Forms

distance infinitive

distanced past

distanced past participle

distancing present participle

distances third person singular

Etymology

The verb distance comes from Latin distare 'to stand apart', and it keeps that idea of space. So to distance a competitor is to make space between you and them, like a runner who pulls ahead.