remote

remote — adjective

1. located at a great distance from the speaker or a reference point, often in a wa

1.形容詞B1
釋義

located at a great distance from the speaker or a reference point, often in a way that makes reaching it difficult.

例句

Justin could see a remote cabin on the far side of the lake.

The satellite sends images from remote parts of the solar system.

同義詞
  • distant

    more general and neutral; 'remote' emphasises difficulty of access

  • far-off

    more informal and often used in storytelling

  • outlying

    specifically refers to areas on the edge of a region

反義詞
  • nearby

    close in distance

  • close

    direct opposite in physical space

文法句型

remote + noun

be + remote

2. describes a place, such as a house or village, that lies far from towns or citie

2.形容詞B1
釋義

describes a place, such as a house or village, that lies far from towns or cities and is difficult to reach because few roads or services exist nearby.

例句

Trang grew up in a remote village that had no paved roads.

Firefighters struggled to reach the remote farmhouse during the storm.

collocation: remote farmhouse / remote village

同義詞
  • isolated

    very similar; 'isolated' emphasises being cut off, 'remote' emphasises distance

  • secluded

    suggests privacy and intentional separation, often positive

  • out-of-the-way

    more informal and conversational

反義詞

文法句型

remote + noun (area / village / house)

用法筆記

Frequently used with nouns describing buildings or settlements (cabin, farmhouse, island, valley). Unlike sense 1, this sense always carries an implication of isolation from human society, not just physical distance.

常見錯誤

❌She lives in a remote country.
✅She lives in a remote village.
💡'remote' typically modifies specific types of places (village, area, island) rather than whole countries.

3. describes a computer system, network, or device that users can connect to and op

3.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a computer system, network, or device that users can connect to and operate from a different physical location through an internet or network link.

例句

The IT team set up remote access so staff could log in from home.

collocation: remote access / remote server

Omar connected to the remote server to update the company website.

同義詞
  • networked

    broader; refers to any connected system, not necessarily distant

  • off-site

    focuses on physical location rather than the technology link

  • online

    more general; not limited to distant systems

反義詞
  • local

    direct opposite in computing contexts

文法句型

remote + noun (access / server / desktop / system)

用法筆記

Commonly appears in technology contexts. The opposite is 'local' (local drive vs. remote drive). Frequently used in compound nouns: remote access, remote desktop, remote server.

常見錯誤

❌I saved the file on a remote control.
✅I saved the file on a remote server.
💡'remote control' is for operating a TV; 'remote server' is a computer system elsewhere.

4. describes work or other tasks performed away from their usual place, most often

4.形容詞B1
釋義

describes work or other tasks performed away from their usual place, most often through communications technology.

例句

Beatrix attends her classes through remote learning while traveling.

collocation: remote learning / remote work

Jude took a remote job with a Tokyo company while staying at his family home in Brazil.

同義詞
  • distance

    used in compounds like 'distance learning'; slightly more formal

  • off-site

    focuses on being away from a specific site

  • tele-

    prefix used in words like telework, telemedicine

反義詞

文法句型

remote + noun (work / learning / surgery)

用法筆記

This sense focuses on the activity itself being done at a distance, unlike sense 3 which describes the technology infrastructure. Frequently used with work, learning, surgery, monitoring, and interviewing.

常見錯誤

❌I work remote on Tuesdays.
✅I work remotely on Tuesdays.
💡In formal writing, use the adverb 'remotely'; using 'remote' as an adverb is informal.

5. describes a point in time that is very far from the present, either in the past

5.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a point in time that is very far from the present, either in the past or the future, so that it feels disconnected from now.

例句

The fossil came from a remote era long before humans existed.

Historians study the remote past using ancient tools and writings.

collocation: remote past / remote future

同義詞
  • distant

    more common and neutral for time references

  • far-off

    more informal and literary

  • ancient

    only for the past, not the future

反義詞
  • recent

    close in time to the present

  • near

    imminent or freshly past

文法句型

remote + noun (past / future / age / era)

用法筆記

Almost always appears with nouns of time (past, future, age, era). Unlike 'distant', which can describe any time span, 'remote' emphasises a feeling of separation from the present.

6. having very little connection or relevance to a particular subject, situation, o

6.形容詞B2
釋義

having very little connection or relevance to a particular subject, situation, or person.

例句

Felipe argued that the budget cut was remote from the issue of school quality.

The witness's story seemed remote from what the evidence showed.

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

be + remote + from + noun phrase

用法筆記

Typically used predicatively with 'remote from'. The subject can be an idea, statement, event, or person. Frequently takes a negative or critical tone, implying a gap between expectation and reality.

常見錯誤

❌His ideas are remote to the discussion.
✅His ideas are remote from the discussion.
💡The correct preposition is 'from', not 'to'.

7. describes a chance, possibility, or risk that is extremely small and unlikely to

7.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a chance, possibility, or risk that is extremely small and unlikely to happen.

例句

There is a remote chance that the lost package will be found.

The doctor said the risk of side effects is remote but not zero.

collocation: remote chance / remote risk / remote possibility

同義詞
  • slight

    more general; 'remote' emphasises how unlikely something is

  • faint

    used with 'hope' or 'chance'; suggests barely perceptible

  • unlikely

    more direct and conversational

反義詞
  • strong

    of a chance, likely to happen

  • good

    as in 'a good chance' — the opposite of remote

文法句型

remote + noun (chance / possibility / risk)

用法筆記

Only used with abstract nouns expressing likelihood — not with concrete objects. 'A remote chance' is much more common than 'a remote possibility' in everyday speech. Can be intensified with 'extremely' or 'very'.

常見錯誤

❌There is a remote remote possibility.
✅There is a remote possibility.
💡The word 'remote' already expresses 'very small', so avoid redundant intensifiers like 'very remote possibility' in formal writing, though it is common in speech.

8. describes a person whose behaviour is cool, distant, and shows little warmth or

8.形容詞C1
釋義

describes a person whose behaviour is cool, distant, and shows little warmth or interest in others.

例句

The new manager seemed remote and rarely spoke to the team.

Diya found her neighbour remote and unfriendly during their first meeting.

同義詞
  • aloof

    very close in meaning; 'aloof' slightly more formal and judgmental

  • distant

    common alternative; slightly less strong

  • detached

    suggests emotional separation, not necessarily unfriendliness

  • standoffish

    informal, with a negative tone

反義詞

文法句型

be + remote

remote + noun (manner / expression / person)

用法筆記

Often paired with words describing personal qualities: manner, expression, air, attitude. Unlike 'shy', which suggests nervousness, 'remote' suggests deliberate emotional distance or lack of interest. Can be used as a character criticism.

常見錯誤

❌He is remote with new people.
✅He seems remote with new people.
💡'Seems' or 'appears' is more natural than 'is' because remoteness is about perceived behaviour.

remote — noun