Idioms are fun phrases that mean something different from the actual words inside them. People use them to make conversation more colorful, interesting, and full of feeling. Today, you will learn a large group of helpful idioms related to distant locations and being far away.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms for far away that mean great distances and being far away. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Far Away
1. A far cry
Meaning: A long distance or a very different situation from what you expect.
For Example: Our new school is a far cry from the old neighborhood building. / Winning the game was a far cry from how we started the season.
Other Ways to Say: Very different / Long way off
2. A stone’s throw
Meaning: A very short distance away, opposite to being far away.
For Example: The grocery store is just a stone’s throw from our front door. / We could see the playground from a stone’s throw away.
Other Ways to Say: Very close / Nearby
3. All corners of the earth
Meaning: Every distant and remote place across the entire globe.
For Example: Travelers came from all corners of the earth to see the festival. / Packages were shipped from all corners of the earth to the museum.
Other Ways to Say: Worldwide / Everywhere
4. As the crow flies
Meaning: The direct, straight-line distance between two far away places.
For Example: The mountain cabin was ten miles away as the crow flies, but driving took longer. / We measured the distance across the lake as the crow flies.
Other Ways to Say: Direct route / Straight path
5. At the end of the earth
Meaning: An extremely distant and isolated place far away from civilization.
For Example: He traveled to the end of the earth to find the rare plant. / The quiet cabin felt like it was at the end of the earth.
Other Ways to Say: Middle of nowhere / Remote spot
6. Back of beyond
Meaning: A very isolated, far away place that is hard to reach.
For Example: Our grandparents live out in the back of beyond where cell phones do not work. / The hiking trail led deep into the back of beyond.
Other Ways to Say: Remote area / Nowhere
7. Beyond the horizon
Meaning: Looking far out into distant lands where the sky meets the earth.
For Example: The sailing ship vanished slowly beyond the horizon. / We wondered what adventures waited for us beyond the horizon.
Other Ways to Say: Far away / Distant lands
8. Boondocks
Meaning: A slang word for a far away, rural place away from cities.
For Example: Their new house is located way out in the boondocks. / We drove through the quiet boondocks to reach the campsite.
Other Ways to Say: Remote place / Countryside
9. By a long shot
Meaning: By a wide margin or a very long distance.
For Example: He did not win the race by a long shot. / That answer is incorrect by a long shot.
Other Ways to Say: By far / Not even close
10. Come a long way
Meaning: Having traveled a massive distance or made great progress over time.
For Example: After hiking all morning, we realized we had come a long way. / Our science project has come a long way since last week.
Other Ways to Say: Travel far / Make progress
11. Down under
Meaning: A common nickname for Australia, located far away on the globe.
For Example: My cousin took a long airplane trip to visit family down under. / Kangaroos and koalas live down under.
Other Ways to Say: Australia / Distant land
12. Far and wide
Meaning: Covering a massive area and looking in all distant directions.
For Example: People traveled from far and wide to attend the school carnival. / We searched far and wide for the missing baseball.
Other Ways to Say: Everywhere / Across all places
13. Far cry indeed
Meaning: Emphasizing that two things are a very long distance apart.
For Example: Visiting the big city was a far cry indeed from our quiet town. / That quiet cabin is a far cry indeed from the noisy street.
Other Ways to Say: Very different / Long distance
14. From here to kingdom come
Meaning: An exaggerated way to describe an immensely long distance.
For Example: Carrying this heavy box feels like walking from here to kingdom come. / The hiking trail stretched from here to kingdom come.
Other Ways to Say: Very far away / Endless distance
15. From here to Timbuktu
Meaning: Describing a journey to a very distant and far away place.
For Example: We had to walk with our heavy backpacks from here to Timbuktu. / He left his jacket miles away, almost from here to Timbuktu.
Other Ways to Say: Very far away / Distant location
16. Get away from it all
Meaning: Traveling to a far away place to escape daily stress.
For Example: During summer vacation, we love to get away from it all in the mountains. / Camping lets you get away from it all.
Other Ways to Say: Escape / Travel away
17. Go the extra mile
Meaning: Traveling a greater physical or mental distance than required.
For Example: He always goes the extra mile by running an extra lap in gym class. / She went the extra mile to finish her project.
Other Ways to Say: Push further / Do more
18. In the middle of nowhere
Meaning: Being in a completely isolated, far away spot with no buildings around.
For Example: Our car broke down right in the middle of nowhere. / The campsite was located in the middle of nowhere.
Other Ways to Say: Isolated place / Remote spot
19. Miles away
Meaning: Being physically distant or mentally daydreaming about somewhere else.
For Example: He looked out the window during math class, acting like he was miles away. / Her family lived miles away from the school.
Other Ways to Say: Distant / Daydreaming
20. Middle of nowhere
Meaning: An extremely isolated and far away location.
For Example: We drove for hours until we reached a cabin in the middle of nowhere. / The phone signal dropped because we were in the middle of nowhere.
Other Ways to Say: Isolated area / Remote location
21. Off the beaten track
Meaning: Traveling far away from crowded tourist spots to quiet places.
For Example: We found a gorgeous little waterfall off the beaten track. / They prefer vacation spots that are way off the beaten path.
Other Ways to Say: Remote location / Hidden spot
22. Out in left field
Meaning: Unrelated to distance, but sometimes used when someone is far away mentally.
For Example: His answer to the question was completely out in left field. / Do not drift out in left field during the lesson.
Other Ways to Say: Distant thought / Unusual idea
23. Out in the sticks
Meaning: Living or staying in a far away rural area with few people.
For Example: Our cousins live out in the sticks surrounded by quiet woods. / We camped out in the sticks over the weekend.
Other Ways to Say: Countryside / Remote area
24. Out of reach
Meaning: Located too far away to grab or touch with your hands.
For Example: The cookie jar on the top shelf was out of reach. / The floating balloon drifted high out of reach.
Other Ways to Say: Too far / Unattainable
25. Out of sight, out of mind
Meaning: When something far away is easily forgotten over time.
For Example: I forgot about my old toys in the attic because it was out of sight, out of mind. / Leaving items in the garage means out of sight, out of mind.
Other Ways to Say: Easily forgotten / Hidden away
26. Outer space
Meaning: The ultimate far away destination beyond our planet Earth.
For Example: Rockets travel far away from Earth into outer space. / Astronauts explore the vast mysteries of outer space.
Other Ways to Say: The cosmos / Beyond Earth
27. Over the hills and far away
Meaning: A poetic way to describe traveling to a very distant place.
For Example: The fairy tale characters traveled over the hills and far away. / We dreamed of traveling over the hills and far away on our bikes.
Other Ways to Say: Very distant / Far away
28. Over the rainbow
Meaning: A metaphorical far away place where dreams come true.
For Example: In the song, wonderful things happen somewhere over the rainbow. / He dreamed of finding a magical place somewhere over the rainbow.
Other Ways to Say: Dreamland / Faraway place
29. Reach for the stars
Meaning: Aiming for a far away goal that takes great effort.
For Example: Our teacher encouraged us to reach for the stars in our studies. / Do not let fear stop you from trying to reach for the stars.
Other Ways to Say: Aim high / Dream big
30. Run a mile
Meaning: Moving a long distance away very quickly to avoid something.
For Example: If broccoli is for dinner, my brother will run a mile. / Seeing the pile of chores made him want to run a mile.
Other Ways to Say: Flee quickly / Avoid eagerly
31. Seven leagues away
Meaning: An old-fashioned expression for a very long distance.
For Example: The giant castle stood seven leagues away across the valley. / We felt like we had walked seven leagues away.
Other Ways to Say: Very far / Long journey
32. Ship shape and Bristol fashion
Meaning: Unrelated to distance, but used for ready travel.
For Example: We packed our boat ship shape and Bristol fashion before sailing away. / Get your backpack ship shape and Bristol fashion.
Other Ways to Say: Neat / Prepared
33. Stick out like a sore thumb
Meaning: Unrelated to distance, but used when something stands out.
For Example: His bright yellow jacket made him stick out like a sore thumb. / That tall building sticks out like a sore thumb.
Other Ways to Say: Be obvious / Stand out
34. Stretch your legs
Meaning: Walking a short distance after sitting in a car for a long time.
For Example: After driving for hours, we stopped to stretch our legs. / Step outside and stretch your legs during recess.
Other Ways to Say: Walk around / Move limbs
35. Take a hike
Meaning: Walking a long distance outdoors, or a playful phrase telling someone to go away.
For Example: We love to take a hike through the mountain trails on weekends. / He told the annoying puppy to take a hike.
Other Ways to Say: Go away / Walk outside
36. The ends of the earth
Meaning: Traveling to the most distant and far away places on the planet.
For Example: Explorers would travel to the ends of the earth to find rare treasures. / She promised to go to the ends of the earth for her friends.
Other Ways to Say: Remote places / Everywhere
37. The far side
Meaning: The opposite side of a large object or distant location.
For Example: We camped on the far side of the lake away from the noise. / He found his lost baseball on the far side of the fence.
Other Ways to Say: Opposite side / Distant edge
38. The farthest reach
Meaning: The absolute limit of how far away something can go.
For Example: Telescopes let us see galaxies at the farthest reach of space. / The hikers walked to the farthest reach of the valley.
Other Ways to Say: Maximum distance / Utmost limit
39. To the ends of the earth
Meaning: Journeying across massive distances to far away places.
For Example: He said he would travel to the ends of the earth to help. / The explorers sailed to the ends of the earth.
Other Ways to Say: Everywhere / Far away
40. Too far gone
Meaning: Being a long distance away or past the point of return.
For Example: We hiked too far gone into the woods and had to check our map. / The old car was too far gone to fix.
Other Ways to Say: Too distant / Beyond repair
41. Traverse the globe
Meaning: Traveling across many far away countries around the world.
For Example: Sailors used to traverse the globe on wooden ships. / The adventurous traveler loved to traverse the globe.
Other Ways to Say: Travel worldwide / Journey globally
42. Walk the earth
Meaning: Traveling on foot across many distant countries and landscapes.
For Example: The backpacker wanted to walk the earth and see every continent. / Ancient travelers would walk the earth for years.
Other Ways to Say: Journey on foot / Wander globally
43. Way out west
Meaning: A phrase describing a far away region in the western countryside.
For Example: Our grandparents live on a quiet farm way out west. / The cowboy movie took place way out west.
Other Ways to Say: Western region / Distant west
44. Wide open spaces
Meaning: Large, empty outdoor areas far away from crowded cities.
For Example: The countryside offered wonderful wide open spaces for our bikes. / We loved camping under the stars in the wide open spaces.
Other Ways to Say: Open country / Vast land
45. Worlds apart
Meaning: Being extremely different or living a very long distance away from each other.
For Example: Even though they lived worlds apart, they remained best friends. / Their opinions on the project were worlds apart.
Other Ways to Say: Very different / Distant
46. Year of the moon
Meaning: Unrelated to distance, but uses celestial terms.
For Example: Space missions feel like visiting the moon. / That ancient event felt like a lifetime away.
Other Ways to Say: Long time / Distant past
47. Zoom across the globe
Meaning: Traveling very quickly to far away countries using airplanes.
For Example: Modern jets let people zoom across the globe in hours. / The pilot loved to zoom across the globe.
Other Ways to Say: Travel fast / Fly worldwide
48. A journey of a thousand miles
Meaning: Every long, far away trip starts with one simple step.
For Example: Walking across the country is like a journey of a thousand miles. / Remember that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Other Ways to Say: Long trip / Big endeavor
49. Far afield
Meaning: Traveling far away from your home or usual surroundings.
For Example: During summer vacation, our travels took us far afield. / The stray cat wandered far afield looking for food.
Other Ways to Say: Far away / Distant
50. Out in the middle of nowhere
Meaning: Being stranded in a very isolated, far away place.
For Example: Our bicycle tire popped right out in the middle of nowhere. / We pitched our tents out in the middle of nowhere.
Other Ways to Say: Isolated spot / Remote area
51. Long haul
Meaning: A long distance journey or a task that takes a long time.
For Example: Driving across the desert was a long haul for our family. / Studying for exams is a long haul, but worth it.
Other Ways to Say: Long trip / Extended task
52. Distant shores
Meaning: Far away lands across the ocean waiting to be explored.
For Example: The sailing ships set out to find distant shores. / Explorers dreamed of traveling to distant shores.
Other Ways to Say: Faraway lands / Overseas
53. Out of bounds
Meaning: Unrelated to distance, but means a forbidden area.
For Example: The muddy construction zone was out of bounds for students. / Going past the fence is out of bounds.
Other Ways to Say: Forbidden / Off-limits
54. Far off
Meaning: Happening in the distant future or located far away.
For Example: Summer vacation feels far off, but it is coming soon. / We could see a far off mountain peak.
Other Ways to Say: Distant / Far away
55. Long shot
Meaning: Unrelated to distance, but means an unlikely chance.
For Example: Winning the raffle was a long shot, but we tried anyway. / Scoring from across the field was a long shot.
Other Ways to Say: Unlikely chance / Risky try
56. Remote corner
Meaning: A quiet, far away section of a room or map.
For Example: We found our lost cat hiding in a remote corner of the yard. / The library kept old books in a remote corner.
Other Ways to Say: Isolated spot / Hidden area
57. Out of the way
Meaning: Located in a quiet, far away place off the main road.
For Example: We found a lovely little bakery tucked out of the way. / Their cabin is quite out of the way, but peaceful.
Other Ways to Say: Isolated / Remote
58. Far removed
Meaning: Being completely separated by a long distance or time.
For Example: The old castle felt far removed from modern city life. / His ideas were far removed from reality.
Other Ways to Say: Distant / Separated
59. Long way down
Meaning: Looking down from a very high and distant point.
For Example: Standing at the top of the tall tower made me realize it was a long way down. / He looked over the canyon edge and saw it was a long way down.
Other Ways to Say: High drop / Steep height
60. Far and away
Meaning: By a very wide margin or a long distance ahead of others.
For Example: She was far and away the best runner in the school race. / That book was far and away my favorite story this year.
Other Ways to Say: By far / Clearly the most
Exercise to Practice
- The grocery store is just a stone’s ________ from our front door.
- Our new school is a far ________ from the old neighborhood building.
- Our grandparents live out in the back of ________ where cell phones do not work.
- The sailing ship vanished slowly beyond the ________.
- Their new house is located way out in the ________.
- He did not win the race by a long ________.
- After hiking all morning, we realized we had come a long ________.
- The cookie jar on the top shelf was out of ________.
- We drove for hours until we reached a cabin in the middle of ________.
- Walking across the country is like a journey of a thousand ________.
- Rockets travel far away from Earth into outer ________.
- Driving across the desert was a long ________ for our family.
- We found our lost cat hiding in a remote ________ of the yard.
- Their cabin is quite out of the ________, but very peaceful.
- She was far and ________ the best runner in the school race.
Answer Key
- throw
- cry
- beyond
- horizon
- boondocks
- shot
- way
- reach
- nowhere
- miles
- space
- haul
- corner
- way
- away
Conclusion
Learning these idioms helps you describe great distances and far away places in colorful new ways. When you know how to use these phrases, talking about travel and adventures becomes much more engaging.
Try using one or two of these expressions the next time you take a long trip or talk about a distant place with your friends. You will see how much fun it is to make your conversations vivid and full of life!
