to distance oneself

USAGE SUMMARY

'to distance oneself' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use 'to distance oneself' when you need to express the idea of creating a physical or emotional separation between oneself and a person, place, or thing. For example: "After her argument with her neighbor, she decided to distance herself from the situation and find another place to live."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

A third response is to distance oneself from the trauma by focusing on other issues.

The Guardian - Opinion

It is subtler to sanitize one's voting record in order to distance oneself from an unpopular President, or to delete broken campaign promises).

The New Yorker

Since launching in 2013 with a core audience in Moscow, it has covered topics from feminism to body image and "female misogyny", the impulse to distance oneself from women in order to succeed in a man's world.

The Guardian

(It is not subtle to change Senator Robert Byrd's age from eighty-eight to a hundred and eighty. It is subtler to sanitize one's voting record in order to distance oneself from an unpopular President, or to delete broken campaign promises).

The New Yorker

Finding a more direct link to the big society, however, would have involved tapping into the nostalgia for 19th century voluntarism in welfare that flourished within the 1980s new right – a little awkward when one is trying to distance oneself from the era of "Victorian values", "no such thing as society", and all that.

The Guardian - Opinion

So it is tempting to use 'physicalism' to distance oneself from what seems a historically important but no longer scientifically relevant thesis of materialism, and related to this, to emphasize a connection to physics and the physical sciences.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

It's not enough to claim to be distancing oneself from a colleague who may have spoken too candidly about favored party scare tactics.

Huffington Post

Using vague, slippery, or just meaningless language is not the same as lying: it's not intended to deceive so much as to preserve options, buy time, distance oneself from others, or just to sound like you're saying something instead of nothing.

The Washington Post

I have found that trying to conceal these invisible battles only serves to further isolate and distance oneself from the social support and understanding that is so desperately needed during hard times.

Huffington Post

What's more, our findings suggest that the key to the enjoyment is not only the ability to empathize with the sad emotions expressed by the music, but also the ability to self-regulate and distance oneself from this process.

University of California, Berkeley

The reasoning that one can distance oneself from future suffering only applies in the absence of forethought: future pain will hurt, in the future, and choosing to avoid the present pain does not make the overall suffering any less.

Bioethics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "to distance oneself" to convey a deliberate act of creating space, whether physical or emotional, for self-preservation, reflection, or strategic advantage.

Common error

Avoid using "to distance oneself" in overly passive constructions. Ensure the subject actively initiates the distancing rather than being distanced by external forces.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to distance oneself" functions as an infinitive phrase often used to express a purpose or intention. According to Ludwig AI, it indicates creating either physical or emotional separation. Examples show its application in various contexts, highlighting its versatility.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

40%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to distance oneself" is a grammatically correct and versatile expression signifying the act of creating separation, either physically or emotionally. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides various examples demonstrating its use across diverse contexts, including science, news, and academia. While it's generally appropriate for neutral to professional registers, it's crucial to ensure that its use is intentional and that the subject is actively initiating the distancing. Alternatives such as "to separate oneself" or "to withdraw oneself" can be used depending on the specific nuance desired. This phrase is a valuable tool for expressing deliberate actions related to personal space and relationships.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to keep one's distance

Focuses on maintaining a physical or emotional gap to avoid intimacy or involvement.

to separate oneself

Focuses more on the act of dividing or setting apart from a group or situation. It suggests a clearer division or demarcation.

to detach oneself

Implies a more emotional or psychological separation, suggesting a lack of involvement or concern.

to disengage oneself

Focuses on the act of removing oneself from participation or involvement in a particular activity or situation.

to isolate oneself

Emphasizes a complete separation from others, often suggesting loneliness or seclusion.

to withdraw oneself

Suggests a retreat from a situation, often implying a desire to avoid conflict or engagement.

to dissociate oneself

Suggests a severing of connection or association, often used in the context of disavowing responsibility or affiliation.

to stand apart

Highlights individuality and a deliberate choice to be different or separate from the norm.

to alienate oneself

Implies actions that cause others to become estranged or unfriendly, resulting in separation.

to extricate oneself

Suggests freeing oneself from a difficult or entangled situation, often implying effort and difficulty.

FAQs

How can I use "to distance oneself" in a sentence?

You can use "to distance oneself" to describe creating physical or emotional separation. For example, "After the argument, she needed "to distance oneself" from the situation to clear her head".

What are some alternatives to "to distance oneself"?

Alternatives include "to separate oneself", "to withdraw oneself", or "to detach oneself", each with slightly different nuances.

When is it appropriate to use "to distance oneself" in writing?

It's appropriate when describing a conscious effort to create space—physical or emotional—between oneself and a person, object, or situation. It suggests intentionality and purpose.

What's the difference between "to distance oneself" and "to isolate oneself"?

"To distance oneself" implies a deliberate creation of space, while "to isolate oneself" suggests a more complete separation, often with negative connotations of loneliness or exclusion.