further
Americanadverb
adjective
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more distant or remote; farther.
The map shows it to be further than I thought.
-
more extended.
Does this mean a further delay?
-
Further meetings seem pointless.
verb (used with object)
adverb
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in addition; furthermore
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to a greater degree or extent
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to or at a more advanced point
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to or at a greater distance in time or space; farther
adjective
-
additional; more
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more distant or remote in time or space; farther
verb
Usage
What’s the difference between further and farther? Further 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. It can also mean at or to a greater literal distance. This is what farther most commonly means, as in a few steps farther or two miles farther or We’re moving even farther away. 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 being often 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 further and farther 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 further and farther.
Commonly Confused
See farther.
Other Word Forms
- furtherer noun
Etymology
Origin of further
First recorded before 900; Middle English furthere, Old English furthra; cognate with German vordere “more advanced”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After about five minutes in the water, Alexandra said a man who had been fishing further down the bank arrived to help.
From BBC
Abel’s statement suggests that the Apple stake won’t be reduced further.
From Barron's
Inflation in Japan’s capital cooled below the central bank’s 2% target for the first time in over a year, but the slowdown is unlikely to derail further interest rate hikes.
Schools were ordered closed until further notice, while banks were to remain open and government offices would operate at half capacity.
From Barron's
Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest hub for international travel, halted departures and arrivals until further notice.
From Barron's
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.
