remote
Americanadjective
-
far apart; far distant in space; situated at some distance away.
the remote jungles of Brazil.
-
out-of-the-way; secluded.
a remote village;
a remote mountaintop.
-
(of an electronic device or technical process) operating or controlled from a distance, as by remote control.
a remote camera.
-
not direct, primary, or proximate; not directly involved or influential.
the remote causes of the war.
-
slight or faint; unlikely.
The committee doesn't have the remotest idea of how to address the basic issue.
So with two games remaining, we actually have a remote chance of making the play-offs.
- Synonyms:
- doubtful
-
noting or relating to work, schooling, or other activities that take place away from their usual place, site, or building: Teachers have distance learning lessons prepared in advance for weather emergencies that necessitate remote instruction.
The company allows remote work for freelancers, but full-time employees are expected to work on site.
Teachers have distance learning lessons prepared in advance for weather emergencies that necessitate remote instruction.
-
reserved and distant in manner; not warmly cordial; aloof.
-
far off; abstracted; removed.
principles remote from actions.
-
distant in time.
remote antiquity.
-
distant in relationship or connection.
a remote ancestor.
noun
-
Radio and Television. a broadcast, usually live, from a location outside a studio.
adjective
-
located far away; distant
-
far from any centre of population, society, or civilization; out-of-the-way
-
distant in time
-
distantly related or connected
a remote cousin
-
removed, as from the source or point of action
-
slight or faint (esp in the phrases not the remotest idea, a remote chance )
-
(of a person's manner) aloof or abstracted
-
operated from a distance; remote-controlled
a remote monitor
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of remote
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin remōtus, past participle of removēre “to move back”; see remove, motion
Explanation
Remote describes something far, far away, like a campsite way out in the woods, a distant planet, or the chance you'll win the lottery. The Australian outback is remote, since it's hard to get to and there aren't many people there. It's also remote in the sense that it's far away from civilization. Someone with a faraway look in her eye, not answering your questions is also remote. Remote can describe something unlikely, like that lottery win. You might win, but your chances are so remote you shouldn't count on it.
Vocabulary lists containing remote
"Marriage is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT words Beginning with "R"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Yellow Pine” is a testament to her beloved remote corner of the Mojave, its beauties, hardships and endangerments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
"The issue that many African countries have is that the distance between very remote villages and healthcare facilities is really big," Maurits, 34, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
It was a position as a content writer that would be completely remote.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
He uprooted the green bushes on his small farm in a remote corner of the province of Meta in Colombia, reachable only by river, and replaced them with legal crops like cassava and plantain.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
In May 1954, just as Daniel Ellsberg was beginning his Marine training in Virginia, Viet Minh fighters surrounded French forces at a remote military outpost called Dien Bien Phu.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
At this point, the most responsible thing Attorney General Pam Bondi could do is confiscate the department’s television remotes and log everyone out of their social media accounts.
From Salon ● Feb. 6, 2026
On this particular day, Carrick engaged in a chat about the old TV remotes.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026
I also had wide and mid-range angled cameras, both mounted on a tripod to be trigged by remotes.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 14, 2024
Like his night stand, which is buried under books, charging cables and remotes to TVs she is fairly certain they no longer own.
From New York Times ● Mar. 23, 2024
Since then, however, the adaptation has been passed down: we’ve all inherited it to some degree, so that we plug right into joysticks and remotes, to repetitive motions of a hundred kinds.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
“It makes me think that it’s certainly biologically possible to have grizzly bears in those remoter corners of California,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2025
This has left digital asset companies with little choice but to seek out smaller financial institutions, some in remoter corners of global finance.
From Reuters ● Apr. 19, 2023
If the lame-duck Congress approves reforms to the laws concerning how electoral votes get validated and counted, it will become remoter still.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 16, 2022
In remoter villages, farmers rouse their oxen at midnight and plough in the darkness before dawn, with scouts to warn them of marauding soldiers.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2021
For the moment he had shut his ears to the remoter noises and was listening to the stuff that streamed out of the telescreen.
From "1984" by George Orwell
A Dutch student team Tuesday unveiled what they believe to be the world's first solar-powered ambulance, which they hope can bring much-needed medical care to the remotest parts of the globe.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
She was drawn there by a desire for change and the attractive salaries Alaska offers attorneys who staff its remotest locations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Arjuna then promised not to put forth similar proposals and said its pledge “forecloses even the remotest chance of another proposal” related to Exxon’s carbon emissions.
From New York Times ● Jun. 17, 2024
The tougher challenge may be ensuring that the country's new-found wealth doesn't just deepen existing inequality, and environmental vulnerability, but benefits all of the country's people, even in the remotest corners of Essequibo.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2024
“But I shall never again consider myself even the remotest judge of human nature. You may quote me wildly on that.”
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.