a long way

noun

: a great distance

Their house is a long way (away) from here.

She went a long way to see him.

—often used figuratively in various phrases

These changes will go a long way toward/towards making the system more efficient.

We've done a lot of work already, but we have a long way to go.

Examples of a long way in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

OutKick) There's a long way to go, with nearly half the season's games left to be played. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Subverting that myth, the Met show ambitiously resets the history of Abstract Expressionism, going a long way to reveal the complexity of their artistic relationship. — John Yau, ARTnews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Despite still being far from its goals, Munn said the team has come a long way since its lopsided non-district losses to North Crowley and Allen. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026 His friends and assistant also help keep him on track, showing how a supportive village can go a long way to reaching your goals. — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for a long way

Cite this Entry

Style

“A long way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20long%20way. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

a long way

noun

Examples of a long way in a Sentence

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes

a long way

noun

Examples of a long way in a Sentence

Rhymes for a long way

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes