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farther
[ fahr-ther ]
adverb
- at or to a greater distance:
He went farther down the road.
- at or to a more advanced point:
They are going no farther in their studies.
- at or to a greater degree or extent:
The application of the law was extended farther.
adjective
- more distant or remote than something or some place nearer:
the farther side of the mountain.
- extending or tending to a greater distance:
He made a still farther trip.
- Nonstandard. further ( defs 5, 6 ).
farther
/ ˈfɑːðə /
adverb
- to or at a greater distance in space or time
- in addition
adjective
- more distant or remote in space or time
- additional
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Usage
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Confusables Note
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of farther1
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Idioms and Phrases
see can't see beyond (farther than) the end of one's nose .Discover More
Example Sentences
Of course, our original snowfall prediction made Tuesday, was farther off in many areas.
I nearly always use the oven’s top rack when broiling, because the farther the food is from the heat, the more I start to wonder why I didn’t just bake instead.
As the first wave exits off the coast, the front would probably sink a little farther to the south, putting the area deeper in the cold air.
That’s because farther-out planets probably formed where it’s cold, and there was more low-density material like frozen water, rather than rock, to begin with.
Fairfax County is offering free transportation to vaccination sites for some residents who live farther away.
The Freedom author went to a deserted island to write Farther Away.
Farther down the highway, a smaller group chanted pro-death slogans and tossed insults at the supporters of Graney.
Farther down the gravel-walk strolls a young Frenchman and his fiancée—the mother of his betrothed inevitably at her side!
Farther from the center they become parabolic, but they are quite good over the entire plate, 3¼ by 4¼ inches.
Farther down the river there was a flash of something white amidst the pale green shimmer of the flood.
Farther forward, a doorway leading to the companion-way, and past the officers' quarters to the main deck.
Farther back were fields of caramels, and all the land seemed well cultivated and carefully tended.
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Related Words
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Farther Vs. Further
What’s the difference between farther and further?
Farther most commonly means at or to a greater distance, especially a literal distance, as in a few steps farther or two miles farther or We’re moving even farther away. Further can mean the same thing as farther but commonly means to a greater figurative distance, as in Nothing could be further from the truth, or to a greater extent, as in Let’s discuss this further.
The traditional distinction is that farther is used for literal distances and that further should be used for figurative distances or metaphorical extents, though in everyday communication, they are often used interchangeably, with further often being used for literal distances and farther being used to mean at a more advanced point or to a great extent.
However, further is used in a few ways that farther is not. Further can be used as a verb meaning to advance something, such as an agenda or cause, as in This will help to further our cause. As an adjective, further can mean more extended, as in further delays, or additional, as in We will hold further meetings. It can also be used in the beginning of a sentence or clause to mean the same thing as furthermore, in addition, or moreover, as in I don’t like ice cream. Further, I don’t like pistachios. So why would you buy me pistachio ice cream?
You can remember that farther is typically used for literal distance by remembering that it’s the comparative form of the adjective far, with the superlative form being farthest.
Here’s an example of farther and further used correctly in the same sentence.
Example: I have to drive farther than usual for work today—I’ll explain further when I get home.
Want to learn more? Go the distance by reading the full breakdown of the difference between farther and further.
Quiz yourself on farther vs. further!
Should farther or further be used in the following sentence?
They are doing this simply to _____ their agenda.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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