distance

/ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/

//ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"distance" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“distance” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,479 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,479
frequency rank, English
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

distance vs distant
75% similar
distance vs distinct
75% similar
distance vs distaste
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for distance
PropertyValue
Headworddistance
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/
Letters8
Frequency rank#1,479
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “distance” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). distance lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for distance is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,479 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 25 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for distance, with forms such as "ddistance", "disatnce", and "disstance". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "distant", "distinct", "distaste", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English distance, distaunce, destance (“disagreement, dispute; discrimination; armed conflict; hostility; trouble; space between two points; time interval”), from Anglo-Norman distance, distaunce, destance, Middle French distance, and Old French… The correct English form is distance, spelled D-I-S-T-A-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
  2. 2
    An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
  3. 3
    Chiefly in from a distance: a place which is far away or remote; specifically (especially painting), a more remote part of a landscape or view as contrasted with the foreground.
  4. 4
    Chiefly with a modifying word: a measure between two points or quantities; a difference, a variance.
  5. 5
    An interval or length of time between events.
  6. 6
    A separation in some way other than space or time.
  7. 7
    Synonym of length (“an extent measured along the longest dimension of an object”).
  8. 8
    A disagreement, a dispute; also, an estrangement.
  9. 9
    A difference in pitch between sounds; an interval.
  10. 10
    The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
  11. 11
    The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
  12. 12
    The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
  13. 13
    The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
  14. 14
    The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
  15. 15
    The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
  16. 16
    The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
  17. 17
    Chiefly preceded by the, especially in into or in the distance: the place that is far away or remote.
  18. 18
    The state of being separated from something else, especially by a long way; the state of being far off or remote; farness, remoteness.
  19. 19
    The entire amount of progress to an objective.
  20. 20
    The state of remoteness or separation in some way other than space or time.
  21. 21
    The state of people not being close, friendly, or intimate with each other; also, the state of people who were once close, friendly, or intimate with each other no longer being so; estrangement.
  22. 22
    Excessive reserve or lack of friendliness shown by a person; aloofness, coldness.
  23. 23
    The rank to which an important person belongs.
  24. 24
    The state of disagreement or dispute between people; dissension.
  25. 25
    Often followed by to or towards: an attitude of remoteness or reserve which respect requires; hence, ceremoniousness.

Etymology

From Middle English distance, distaunce, destance (“disagreement, dispute; discrimination; armed conflict; hostility; trouble; space between two points; time interval”), from Anglo-Norman distance, distaunce, destance, Middle French distance, and Old French destance, destaunce, distaunce (“debate; difference, distinction; discord, quarrel; dispute; space between two points; time interval”) (modern French distance), and directly from their etymon Latin distantia (“difference, diversity; distance, remoteness; space between two points”) (whence also Late Latin distantia (“disagreement; discrepancy; gap, opening; time interval”)), from distāns (“being distant; standing apart”) + -ia (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). Distāns is the present active participle of distō (“to be distant; to stand apart; to differ”), from dis- (prefix meaning ‘apart, asunder; in two’) + stō (“to stand”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”)). The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * Middle Dutch distancie, distantie (modern Dutch distantie); Dutch afstand (“distance”, literally “off-stand, off-stance”) * German Distanz; German Abstand * Italian distanza * Portuguese distância * Spanish distancia

This word in other languages

distancia(Español)distance(Français)Distanz(Deutsch)distância(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddistance,disatnce,disstance,distacne,distancce,distanec,distannce,distence,distnace,disttance,ditsance,dsitance,idstance

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of distance - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddistance1disatnce2disstance1distacne2distancce1distanec2distannce1distence1
Edit distance from "distance"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "distance"?
"distance" is spelled D-I-S-T-A-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/.
What does "distance" mean?
As a noun, "distance" means: An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
What words are commonly confused with "distance"?
"distance" is commonly confused with "distant", "distinct", "distaste". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "distance"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "distance" is /ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "distance"?
From Middle English distance, distaunce, destance (“disagreement, dispute; discrimination; armed conflict; hostility; trouble; space between two points; time interval”), from Anglo-Norman distance, distaunce, destance, Middle French distance, and ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “distance”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-I-S-T-A-N-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “distant” - see the side-by-side comparison. distance vs distant
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list