a long way
/ə lɒŋ weɪ/phrase★Intermediate
informal
a great distance, either physically or metaphorically
The city is a long way from here.
The city is far from this location.
We still have a long way to go before we finish.
We still have much more work to do before completing the task.
💡
Often used to describe both physical and metaphorical distances, such as progress or time.
Collocations
a long way to gomuch more to accomplisha long way offfar away in distance or time
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
a long way from homephrase
far from one's place of residence
a long way to fallphrase
a significant risk or potential for failure
💡Pro Tip
Common Usage
This phrase is versatile and can be used in both physical and abstract contexts.
⚡Gold Rule
Context Matters
Pay attention to whether the phrase is used literally (distance) or figuratively (progress, time).
📖Word Origin
The phrase combines 'a' (indefinite article) with 'long' (adjective meaning great in extent) and 'way' (noun meaning distance or path).
📝Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts to describe distance or progress.
Word Breakdown
a
indefinite article
articlelong
great in extent
adjectiveway
distance or path
nounEnglish Dictionary