afield

[ uh-feeld ]

adverb

1. abroad; away from home.
2. off the beaten path; far and wide:

   to go afield in one's reading.

3. off the mark:

   His criticism was totally afield.

4. in or to the field or countryside.
5. beyond the range or field of one's experience, knowledge, acquaintanceship, etc.:

   a philosophy far afield of previous philosophical thought.

afield

/ əˈfiːld /

adverb

1. away from one's usual surroundings or home (esp in the phrase far afield )
2. off the subject; away from the point (esp in the phrase far afield )
3. in or to the field, esp the battlefield

Word History and Origins

Origin of afield¹

before 1000; Middle English afelde, Old English on felda. See a- ¹, field

Example Sentences

The shortage also means local authorities are having to search further afield.

From BBC

Planning documents showed the old coaching inn dated back to at least 1500, offering a convenient place of rest for those travelling between London, Colchester and further afield in Suffolk and Norfolk.

From BBC

"It is super safe in Cirencester... but when we go further afield that's definitely something I worry about. Bigger cities, bigger clubs, places people don't know," she added.

From BBC

There are so many people like me, in Turkey, in Egypt, and further afield around the world - the UK, the US, Europe - where we’ve had to go to find safety.

From BBC

Social media has been awash with people from Tyrone and further afield sharing their memories and pictures of the famous dance hall as it is being demolished.

From BBC

Related Words

• astray