middle distance

noun

Definition of middle distance

1 : a part of a pictorial representation or scene between the foreground and the background
2 : any footrace distance usually from 800 to 1500 meters or from 880 yards to one mile

Examples of middle distance in a Sentence

As I looked out over the water, a small boat appeared in the middle distance.

Recent Examples on the Web

Grunewald was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) -- an extremely rare cancer usually found in the salivary glands of the head and neck -- in 2009, but still pursued her career in middle distance running. George Ramsay, CNN, "Gabriele Grunewald: Professional runner inspired 'hope' in cancer fight," 12 June 2019 His words come slowly and his gaze seems to be fixed on some middle distance. Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, "‘Meeting Gorbachev’ Review: Piercing the Wall of History," 2 May 2019 The ball started low and got up over the mist and stayed up there for a while before settling somewhere in the middle distance. Zach Baron, GQ, "Golfing with Jonah from Veep," 7 Feb. 2018 Everyone talks about how strong American women’s middle distance and long distance running is right now. Chris Chavez, SI.com, "After Breaking American 2-Mile Record, Jenny Simpson is Motivated for More in 2018," 3 May 2018 Trailing Oregon star middle distance runner Raevyn Rogers only slightly starting the anchor lap, Ellis kicked into a high gear early. J. Brady Mccollough, latimes.com, "Inside the USC women's track team's relay miracle at the NCAA championship," 12 June 2018 Her skill as a hurdler and middle distance runner helped make that happen. Mark Stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Stewart: Simple kindness went a long way for Valerie Thames. Now it's her turn to give.," 27 June 2018 As Becca rejoins Wills and Jason, Leo stands alone in the waves staring off into the middle distance. Melissa Locker, Time, "The Bachelorette Recap: Becca Hopes That Love Will Find Her in the Bahamas," 10 July 2018 Thornton, who also directs, too often leaves her (and the rest of his cast) to raise a fist and stare defiantly into the middle distance rather than interact in compellingly human ways. Justin Hayford, Chicago Reader, "Haymarket is a workmanlike ode to the working man," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'middle distance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of middle distance

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for middle distance

middle distance

noun

English Language Learners Definition of middle distance

: the area in a scene or view that is neither very close nor very far away : an area between the foreground and the background
: a racing distance that is neither short nor long and that is usually between 800 to 1,500 meters