by far

Idioms and Phrases

Also, far and away . To the greatest degree, by a large margin. For example, She is by far the most experienced member of the cast , or, as Anthony Trollope wrote, “He was far and away the cleverest of his party” ( The Duke's Children , 1880). The first term dates from the late 1700s, the variant from the mid-1800s. Also see by half .

Example Sentences

The school has been affiliated with more than 160 Nobel Prize winners, by far the most of any U.S. college or university.

From Los Angeles Times

“This is by far the most challenging year for Open Division teams, with four or five who can win it,” Delus said.

From Los Angeles Times

So, Aboriginal communities are by far the most affected by the new laws.

From BBC

As a practical matter, by far the most important protections against vengeful prosecutions are career federal prosecutors’ nonpartisan professionalism and the norms forbidding the White House from telling them whom to prosecute.

From Los Angeles Times

Once again, California — despite it wielding by far the largest cache of electoral votes in the nation — kept its record intact of never having sent a Democrat to the White House.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• actually
• certainly
• clearly
• definitely
• probably
• really
• surely