middle distance

American  

noun

1. Also called middle plane.  Also called middle ground.  Fine Arts. the represented space between the foreground and background in paintings, drawings, etc.

2. (in track) a race distance ranging from 400 meters or 440 yards to 1 mile.

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middle-distance British  

adjective

1. athletics relating to or denoting races of a length between the sprints and the distance events, esp the 800 metres and the 1500 metres

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noun

1. Also called: middle ground.  part of a painting, esp a landscape between the foreground and far distance

Etymology

Origin of middle distance

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

Often shown on-screen in the middle distance or the background, her expressions always muted, Nina drifts through this slow-burn crisis without any palpable urgency or alarm.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2025

These were visible signs that 'The Real Deal' was making a dent - his speed was hugely effective as he was first to land when they were at middle distance.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2025

Now, aged 24, she is one of India's top middle distance para athletes.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2025

He stared into the middle distance and scrolled through his phone.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 26, 2023

I caught her staring into the middle distance just for a moment, her eyes blank, looking not at the Asparagus, but past it.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green