farther

[ fahr-ther ]

adverb

1. at or to a greater distance:

   He went farther down the road.

2. at or to a more advanced point:

   They are going no farther in their studies.

3. at or to a greater degree or extent:

   The application of the law was extended farther.

adjective

1. more distant or remote than something or some place nearer:

   the farther side of the mountain.

2. extending or tending to a greater distance:

   He made a still farther trip.

3. Nonstandard. further ( defs 5, 6 ).

farther

/ ˈfɑːðə /

adverb

1. to or at a greater distance in space or time
2. in addition

adjective

1. more distant or remote in space or time
2. additional

Usage

Farther, farthest, further, and furthest can all be used to refer to literal distance, but further and furthest are regarded as more correct for figurative senses denoting greater or additional amount, time, etc: further to my letter . Further and furthest are also preferred for figurative distance

Confusables Note

Although some usage guides insist that only farther should be used for physical distance ( We walked farther than we planned ), farther and further have been used interchangeably throughout much of their histories. However, only further is used in the adverbial sense “moreover” ( Further, you hurt my feelings ) and in the adjectival senses “more extended” ( no further comment ) and “additional” ( Further bulletins came in ). The expression all the farther (or further ) in place of as far as occurs chiefly in informal speech: This is all the farther the train goes. all.

Word History and Origins

Origin of farther¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English ferther; originally variant of further

Word History and Origins

Origin of farther¹

C13: see far , further

Idioms and Phrases

see can't see beyond (farther than) the end of one's nose .

Example Sentences

"Our recent research enables us to go back much farther, to see what evolutionary lineages a horse has in its DNA," Cothran said.

From Science Daily

"The fact that we actually accomplished this feat shows how much farther we can reach when we bring the strengths of our institutions together."

From Science Daily

He wondered if there might be lidar maps for areas farther away from famous Mayan sites, too.

From NewsForKids.net

By 11 a.m., widespread evacuations were ordered as the blaze marched toward the Camarillo foothills and higher into the mountains — where winds blew stronger, pushing stray embers even farther ahead of the blaze, officials reported.

From Los Angeles Times

Fierce Santa Ana winds were expected to ease somewhat Friday, lessening the chance of the fire spreading farther.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• further

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.