2 syllables: dis, tance. Stress on dis.
DIS-tuhns
/ˈdɪstəns/
distance is pronounced DIS-tuhns (/ˈdɪstəns/). It has two syllables (dis-tance), with the stress on "dis". Distance refers to the measure of space between two points or objects, or the extent of space separating people or places in a given context. It can denote physical length, proximity, or emotional/relational remoteness. In everyday use, distance combines concrete spatial meaning with metaphorical nuance, and it often interacts with related terms like range, separation, and extent.
Distance refers to the measure of space between two points or objects, or the extent of space separating people or places in a given context. It can denote physical length, proximity, or emotional/relational remoteness. In everyday use, distance combines concrete spatial meaning with metaphorical nuance, and it often interacts with related terms like range, separation, and extent.
"The distance between the two cities has been shrinking thanks to faster transport."
"She kept a polite emotional distance from her coworkers."
"They calculated the distance to the horizon using triangulation."
You pronounce distance as /ˈdɪs.təns/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: DIS-tance. The second syllable is a schwa followed by nce, so the ending sounds like “tuhns.” When speaking quickly, the t may be softened, but you should preserve the clear /d/ and /s/ sequences. Listen for the crisp initial /d/ + /ɪ/ + /s/ before the central vowel /ə/ and final /ns/. Audio references: try Cambridge or Oxford pronunciation entries for audio exemplars.
Common mistakes: (1) dropping or reducing the first syllable’s /d/ making it /ˈɪs.təns/ or /ˈdɪs.tən/; (2) misplacing the stress, saying /ˈdɪs.təns/ with the second syllable emphasized; (3) mispronouncing the final cluster as /m/ or /ŋ/ instead of /ns/. Correction tips: exaggerate the initial /d/ briefly to anchor the word, keep a strong /t/ before the /n/ so the /t/ is released into /n/ (not a /d/ or /t/ into /s/), and finish with a clear /ns/ rather than a nasalized /n/ alone. Practice with minimal pairs focusing on /d/ vs. /t/ and /s/ vs. /z/ combinations.
In US English, /ˈdɪs.təns/ with a rhotic, the /r/ is not involved; the vowel quality is lax in the second syllable. In UK English, /ˈdɪs.təns/ tends to be slightly crisper with a less pronounced schwa and more clipped consonants, while maintaining non-rhoticity. Australian English commonly renders /ˈdɪs.təns/ with a slightly broader, more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable and a flatter intonation. Across all, the primary stress remains on the first syllable, while the ending /ns/ stays relatively strong. IPA guides show US /ˈdɪs.təns/, UK /ˈdɪs.təns/, AU /ˈdɪs.təns/.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster at the end: /t/ followed by /ə/ and /ns/ can create a palatalization or a slurred transition if you speak quickly. The mid vowel in the second syllable /ə/ is neutral, which can be tricky to sustain distinctly between /t/ and /n/. Additionally, the initial /d/ must be released clearly before the /ɪ/ to avoid turning into a lighter /d/ or blending with /t/. Mastering the /d-ɪ-s/ onset and clean /t/ + /n/ sequence helps clarity in every context.
Focus on the onset /d/: the tongue tip taps the alveolar ridge, then quickly moves to the /ɪ/ vowel with a relaxed jaw. For the /s/ cluster, keep the tongue blade high enough for a crisp /s/, then transition smoothly to /t/ by a light, controlled release. The /ənz/ ending should land as a short schwa followed by a clear alveolar nasal and a final /z/ or /s/ depending on adjacent sounds. In careful speech, ensure the /t/ is released before the /ənz/; avoid t-glottalization in careful registers.
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The word distance originates from Middle English distaunce, from Old French distance (late Latin distantiā) derived from Latin distantia, from distantus, meaning ‘standing apart, remote.’ The root dist- conveys separation, from the Proto-Indo-European stem *dis-, meaning ‘apart, away,’ paired with the suffix -tantia in Latin to form abstract nouns of state or condition. In English, distance appeared in the 14th century to describe physical space between bodies, later broadening to relational, figurative, and numerical measures of space or interval. Over time, usage shifted from concrete, measurable space to include psychological and social separations, reflecting cultural evolutions in technology, transport, and distance-thinking (e.g., distance learning, distant relationships). The term has maintained its core sense of measurable space while expanding to metaphorical applications in science, philosophy, and everyday speech. First known written usage attested in Middle English texts, with parallels in Old French and Latin corpora indicating an established concept of space and remoteness across Romance and Germanic language families. In modern usage, distance can refer to physical length, spatial separation, or abstract gaps in information, relationship dynamics, or capability, depending on context.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "distance" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "distance" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "distance"
-nce sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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