significant distances

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "significant distances" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing measurements, travel, or differences that are notably large or important in context. Example: "The two cities are separated by significant distances, making travel between them time-consuming."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

People generally travel quite significant distances so the cost savings do add up quickly," she says.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Other, wilder members of the animal kingdom cover significant distances on their own.

The New Yorker

Of course financial pressures are not the only reason students opt to travel significant distances to university.

The Guardian

Besides, he added, "even in the city everybody goes places by bus, subway or taxi, and the only people walking significant distances are the tourists gawking at buildings".

The New York Times

John said it was possible he had travelled "significant distances" to dispose of body parts, "but based on the research and best advice, it would all point towards him going to areas he was comfortable with".

The Guardian

We saw two Dutch Model Ss, one Belgian one and one French, which made us feel slightly better; other people were driving significant distances in their all-electric cars, so we couldn't be that daft.

The Guardian - Tech

The pollutants, which can travel significant distances downwind, become fine particles or particulate matter that can lodge deep in the lungs and cause health problems and even death, the agency says.

The New York Times - Science

The company, which makes the Martex and Joe Boxer brands, said the yarn plant in Whitmire, S.C., will begin shutting down immediately and cease operations by May 1. "Yarn produced at the Whitmire plant has to be hauled significant distances to reach any of our weaving facilities," Lanny Bledsoe, senior vice president for manufacturing, said in a statement.

The New York Times

He one-putted for par from significant distances at the fifth and the sixth holes and showed some of his old ability to focus during a distraction at the ninth.

The New York Times - Sports

But these days, many of their families are frozen in place; fewer people are moving significant distances than at any time since the Census Bureau started collecting the statistic, Mr. Pisarski said.

The New York Times

And in less-dense and more-sprawl oriented cities, members could also face the risk of having to travel significant distances if space isn't available in nearby locations.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "significant distances", ensure the context clarifies what makes the distances significant. Quantify the distance if possible for better clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "significant distances" vaguely. Provide specific measurements or comparisons to illustrate the magnitude you're describing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "significant distances" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "significant" modifies the noun "distances". Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It commonly acts as an object or adjunct in sentences, indicating a considerable separation or extent.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

34%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "significant distances" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to denote considerable separation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. Analysis reveals a neutral register, lending itself well to diverse contexts, ranging from scientific reports to news articles. When using "significant distances", quantify whenever possible to enhance clarity. Although alternatives exist, they do not drastically alter the semantic meaning, with "considerable distances" and "substantial distances" being the closest synonyms. The phrase is often used to emphasize the importance or impact of the distance being described.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

considerable distances

Replaces "significant" with "considerable", emphasizing the amount or extent of the separation.

substantial distances

Substitutes "significant" with "substantial", highlighting the importance and size of the distances.

large distances

Uses "large" instead of "significant", focusing on the physical magnitude of the separation.

vast distances

Replaces "significant" with "vast", suggesting an immense scale or extent of separation.

sizable distances

Employs "sizable" instead of "significant", indicating a notable and considerable extent of separation.

tremendous distances

Uses "tremendous" emphasizing a remarkable degree of physical separation or extent.

remarkable distances

Highlights the unusual or noteworthy aspect of the extent or separation.

notable distances

Emphasizes that the physical separations are worthy of attention due to their size.

noteworthy distances

Similar to 'notable', stresses the importance of the separations being observed.

extensive distances

Focuses on the broad coverage and reach of the separations or extent.

FAQs

How can I use "significant distances" in a sentence?

You can use "significant distances" to describe the separation between two points, the range of a projectile, or the extent of a migration. For example, "The animals migrated over significant distances".

What phrases can I use instead of "significant distances"?

You can use alternatives like "considerable distances", "substantial distances", or "large distances" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "significant distances" or "long distances"?

Both "significant distances" and "long distances" are correct, but "significant distances" implies that the length is noteworthy or impactful in some way, while "long distances" simply indicates a considerable length.

What does it mean when something travels "significant distances"?

When something travels "significant distances", it means it moves or is transported over a notably long range, often implying that the extent of the travel is important or has consequences.