from afar

from afar — idiom

1. at or from a point that is far away in space, where people or things can still b

1.慣用語B2
釋義

at or from a point that is far away in space, where people or things can still be seen, heard, or noticed

例句

Mira spotted the lighthouse from afar, its beam sweeping across the dark water.

spotted [object] from afar

From afar, the mountains looked painted onto the sky in soft blue layers.

同義詞
  • from a distance

    neutral, everyday equivalent; less literary than 'from afar'

  • from far away

    more common in speech; emphasises the remoteness of the source

  • at a distance

    suggests a measured gap that could be crossed if desired

反義詞

文法句型

see/spot/hear + object + from afar

from afar, + clause

常見錯誤

❌She watched the play from afar, sitting in the front row.
✅She watched the play up close, sitting in the front row.
💡'from afar' always means from a great distance; you cannot be near and call it 'afar.'

2. observing, following, or thinking about a person or situation while keeping your

2.慣用語C1
釋義

observing, following, or thinking about a person or situation while keeping yourself separate and choosing not to become directly engaged

例句

Reuben admired his colleague from afar but never found the courage to speak to her.

admired [someone] from afar

Hamza chose to follow the court case from afar rather than attend the trial.

同義詞
  • at arm's length

    stronger; implies deliberate distrust or coldness

  • at a remove

    formal; suggests detachment for objectivity or safety

  • from a distance

    works for both literal and figurative separation; more neutral

反義詞

文法句型

watch/follow/admire + object + from afar

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (FROM A DISTANCE): this sense describes emotional or social separation, not physical space. Common with verbs such as admire, watch, follow, supervise, and love.