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Glite Dictionary
at arm's length

at arm's length

9 4.8
Keep a distance from someone to avoid getting too close or involved
  • idiom
translation icon : a distancia
  • I keep him at arm's length to avoid getting too close.
  • keep them at arm's length

Examples

  • I keep him at arm's length.

    Ruby in Paradise (1993)

  • You were supposed to keep danger at arm's length.

    Nobody 2 (2025)

  • I don't know which is worse, but it's why I keep everyone at arm's length.

    Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

  • I've always thought the secret of dealing with death was to keep it at arm's length.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • But he wishes to be kept at arm's length from intelligence matters, so you, Saulnier, will sign the orders.

    Bombshell (2016)

  • You were supposed to keep danger at arm's length to stay safe.

  • I prefer to keep my son at arm's length from negative influences.

Antonyms

to close
650 1.5

To move toward something to touch or hold it

involved
355 3.5

Feeling a strong emotional connection to someone or something

How Close

at arm's length
9 4.8
nearby
325 1.0
far
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

at arm's length positive

Morphology

at + arm's + length

The phrase literally evokes the measurable distance of an arm's length, so a learner who knows 'arm' and 'length' can infer the basic idea of keeping physical distance. However, its common use to mean emotional or relational distancing (avoiding involvement) is a metaphorical extension and carries pragmatic nuance that may not be fully predictable, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

At arm's length comes from the simple image of holding someone at the end of your arm so they stay a safe length away. So it means 'to avoid becoming too close or involved'.