dis
tant
ly
1
in a manner that is far in space or time
- Distantly, he could hear the sound of a train passing by.
- From the mountaintop, the village looked distantly below.
- The stars twinkled distantly in the night sky.
- The noise of the storm grew distantly quieter as they moved indoors.
- He heard the dog barking distantly, but couldn't see it.
2
in a manner that is not intimate, related, or near
- The two families are distantly related, sharing a common ancestor from centuries ago.
- They are distantly connected by a shared interest in art, but they rarely interact.
- His connection to the company is distantly professional, not personal.
- Their friendship felt distantly polite, without much warmth.
- The cousins are distantly related but haven't seen each other in years.
Synonyms:
3
in an aloof or detached manner
- She looked at him distantly, not showing any emotion.
- He smiled distantly, as if the conversation didn't concern him.
- The manager spoke distantly, maintaining a professional distance.
- She greeted him distantly, without the usual enthusiasm.
- His response was distantly polite, but clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.