Differentiating two words that go the distance…
Do you use farther and further interchangeably? You’re not alone. The terms have very similar meanings, and English speakers have been using them as synonyms聽for centuries. But if you’re ready to get picky, there is one major difference that can guide your usage of these words!
The widely accepted rule is to use farther when being literal and discussing a physical distance, as in “He went farther down the road.”聽Further is used when discussing a more symbolic distance or to discuss a degree or extent, as in聽“I wanted to discuss it further, but we didn鈥檛 have time.”
Additionally, when used as a verb, 聽further means聽to advance. So, you can “further聽a project” (but you can’t farther a project, because farther doesn’t have a verb sense). Further also has an adverbial definition of 鈥渕oreover; additionally,鈥� so you can say “And聽further, you hurt my feelings”聽(but not farther).
Ready to put your newfound word skills to good use? Take the quiz below to see how well you know the difference between further and farther.
