kilometers

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "kilometers" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the distance between two locations, for example: "The distance between Los Angeles and San Francisco is approximately 800 kilometers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Children in his community in remote Kenya were walking up to 10 kilometers to get to school so he held outdoor lessons for them closer to home.

The Guardian

Remember that Earth is not like a laboratory with just a few test tubes; it has literally billions of square kilometers of reactive mineral surfaces, and hundreds of millions of years to get the results.It also has this richness of organic molecules that are reacting to those surfaces.

The Economist

The dark streaks could be carbon-rich dust spewed by geysers Source: NASA In 1990, its primary mission over, Voyager 1 was instructed to point its camera at Earth, or the "Pale Blue Dot", 6 billion kilometers away Source: NASAVOYAGER 1 has been beaming data to Earth since 1977.

The Economist

The islands and a surrounding area of 50 kilometers or more could be set aside as a marine reserve.This would be a face-saving solution for both sides and act as a positive step toward bringing back sea life to that region.

The Economist

"The suggestion by Dr. Norris that the failure to implement X2 at 74 kilometers, that that's going to end the delta smelt existence on the face of our planet is false.

The New York Times

At its furthest distance from earth, Mars is some 390m kilometers, so light travelling at 300 thousand kilometers per second would take only about 22 minutes to cross that distance.

The Economist

True, the lunar orbit, with an average radius of 384,403 kilometers, is puny in cosmic terms, but similar near-misses aren't all that uncommon.

The Economist

It's a nonsense that we throw away so much and we make useless things to throw away when there are women walking 5 kilometers to fetch two pitchers of water.

The Economist

When Mars is closest to Earth at 56m kilometers, light would take about three minutes to travel between planets.

The Economist

Squall lines can stretch hundreds of kilometers during the rainy season, and thick dust was reported in northern Mali throughout the night.

The Economist

The planet Uranus would be the size of a cantaloupe placed 5.6 miles (9 kilometers) from the Sun.

Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about distances, specify the number clearly and ensure it's contextually relevant (e.g., "The city is located 50 kilometers from the airport").

Common error

Avoid mixing kilometers with other units of measurement (like miles) within the same context without clear conversion. Always maintain consistency or provide conversions for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "kilometers" is as a plural noun, typically used to quantify distance. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Encyclopedias

24%

Science

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "kilometers" functions as a plural noun to denote distance, as validated by Ludwig AI. It's a standard unit of measurement common in various contexts, especially in news, encyclopedias and science. While grammatically sound and widely used, maintaining consistency in unit usage is crucial, according to usage guidance. Related terms include "distance in km" and "measured in kilometers", offering alternative phrasing. Practical advice includes clear specification and consistent application of the unit. With its established role, "kilometers" helps convey precise spatial information in many domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

distance in km

Specifies the unit of measure, "km", making the phrase more explicit.

measured in kilometers

Highlights the action of measuring using kilometers as the unit.

km distance

Uses the abbreviation "km" before the word distance, creating a shortened version.

length in kilometers

Focuses on length as a dimension expressed in kilometers.

mileage in kilometers

mileage refers to number of kilometers

kilometre equivalent

Refers to a corresponding value in kilometers.

stretch of kilometers

Emphasizes a continuous extent or segment measured in kilometers.

kilometer range

Indicates a span or scope defined by kilometer values.

several km

Uses 'several' to denote an unspecified number of kilometers.

long-distance

Uses a general term for substantial distances, without specifying units.

FAQs

How do you properly use "kilometers" in a sentence?

Use "kilometers" to specify distances, for example, "The race is 10 "kilometers" long" or "The two cities are hundreds of "kilometers" apart".

What is the abbreviation for "kilometers"?

The standard abbreviation for "kilometers" is "km". For example, you might write "The distance is 5 km".

What is the difference between "kilometers" and "miles"?

"Kilometers" and "miles" are both units of distance, but they are based on different systems of measurement. One "kilometer" is approximately 0.621371 miles, while one mile is approximately 1.60934 "kilometers".

How do I convert "kilometers" to miles?

To convert "kilometers" to miles, multiply the number of "kilometers" by 0.621371. For example, 10 "kilometers" is equal to 6.21371 miles.