far cry from, a

1. far from it . An interjection expressing strong denial, as in I thought you were bored.—Far from it, I enjoyed the evening .

2. Also, far from . Very different from, as in Thinking someone is stupid is a far cry from saying so , or Far from being neutral, Jack regarded him as his friend . The first term may have originated as calculating the distance of one's enemies by shouting, but it has been used figuratively (signifying difference rather than distance) since the early 1800s. The variant, dating from the mid-1600s, is most often used with a participle, as in the example ( being ).

Example Sentences

It was all a far cry from where Ohtani was last year, as he embarked on a free-agent process that resulted in a record-breaking $700-million contract with the Dodgers.

From Los Angeles Times

Zegler's contrite posts were a far cry from her white-hot rage following the election of Trump.

From Salon

There's no doubt the new-age formula has worked for CBS, but it is a far cry from the traditions of Match of the Day.

From BBC

A far cry from the Hollywood Hills.

From BBC

The withdrawn figure who appeared in the dock was a far cry from being "one of the greatest teachers of our generation", as he is described by a follower writing his book.

From BBC

Related Words

• disparate
• dissimilar
• distinct
• divergent
• unalike
• unlike
• unsimilar