Further vs farther: Learn the difference & correct usage

Further vs Farther – which is correct? This pair of English words is easily confused because they have similar meanings and sound alike when spoken.

Although it’s easy to mix these words up, the good news is that in their most common usage as an adjective or adverb, further and farther are usually both acceptable. If you do pick the wrong word, it is not going to significantly alter the meaning of your sentence – you will still be understood!

In this article, we’ll explain why further or farther is the correct choice in particular contexts, with several examples of when you should use each word. We’ll even cover some commonly used phrases containing these words, like further away and farther away.

By the end of this article, you’ll be confident about using the correct one in your speaking and your writing.

What’s the difference between further and farther?

Knowing when to use further vs farther can get really confusing because in certain contexts they both mean the same thing: “more distant.”

However, there are specific instances when one is the proper choice over the other. In order to know which is the better word to use, you’ll need to look at the usage and context.

Here are the basic rules, which we will examine in more detail:

‘Farther’ is the comparative form of ‘far’, usually used to describe physical distance
‘Further’ is more often used for a figurative distance, but can also be used for physical distances
Only ‘further’ can be used as a verb
‘Further’ can also mean ‘additional’ or ‘additionally’

Let’s dig in a little deeper to get a better understanding of the use of each word.

Using farther correctly

‘Farther’ is the comparative form of ‘far’, meaning ‘a great distance’. In the sequence we have far, farther, and farthest.

Farther as an adjective

‘Farther’ as an adjective means ‘a greater distance’ or ‘more distant.’ We use this word to modify a noun, and usually when referring to a physical distance rather than a figurative one.

The store was farther from the hotel than I realized.
New York is farther north than Virginia is from Florida.

In these sentences, although ‘farther’ is the preferred word choice, it is also acceptable to use ‘further’.

Farther as an adverb

When you use the word ‘farther’ as an adverb it means ‘to a greater distance or point.’ We use it to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Let’s look at a couple of examples where ‘farther’ is used as an adverb in a sentence.

I can run farther than my brother can run.
He threw the ball farther than I expected him to!

Again, ‘further’ could replace ‘farther’ in both of these examples.

Using further correctly

You can use the word ‘further’ as an adjective, an adverb, or a verb. This is where it is different than ‘farther’, which cannot be used as a verb.

Further as a verb

When you use ‘to further’ as a verb it means ‘to advance or promote.’ To help understand what we mean, let’s look at some examples of ‘further’ as a verb.

Taking this class will further my career.
The research of the group has helped further medical advancement.

In both of these cases, it is only correct to use ‘further’ vs ‘farther’, because you are using it as a verb, and ‘farther’ is not used as a verb.

Further as an adjective

Remember that an adjective modifies, or describes, a noun – and you can use ‘further’ as an adjective to mean ‘more distant in degree, time, or space’.

A teenager is further along in their development than a toddler.
Why does 5 o’clock always seem further away on a Friday?

In these examples, it is correct to use ‘further’ and not ‘farther’ because we are not describing physical distances. That said, it’s becoming more common to hear people use ‘farther’ in this context. Even if it is not technically correct, it is not a glaring error as the meaning remains the same.

Further as an adverb

You can use ‘further’ as an adverb to mean ‘to a greater degree or extent’. Remember that adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.

I will think further about your proposal next week.
This advertising campaign took sales further than we had expected.

Further meaning additional/additionally

‘Further’ can also mean ‘additional’ (as an adjective) or ‘additionally’ (as an adverb). This is similar to ‘furthermore’, which is a more formal transition word for addition.

Marie has requested further time off work because she is still unwell.
Further, I would like to say thank you to everyone who contributed to tonight’s event.

Typically, when you’re using ‘further’ as an adverb it comes at the beginning of a sentence.

Common phrases using further vs farther

Finally, let’s look at some common phrases that use either farther or further.

Further or farther away/along/ahead/apart/behind/back/forward

As you have already seen in some of the examples above, we often pair further and farther with adverbs of direction to better describe the position of one thing in relation to another.

With these adverbial phrases, apply the same rules as before: ‘farther’ for a physical distance and ‘further’ for a figurative distance (although ‘further’ for a physical distance is also common).

Look at these sentences to get a better idea of what we mean:

You can see this better if you stand farther away.
The restaurant is a little farther along the road.
Could you stand farther apart for this photo?

Since we are speaking of a physical distance in these examples, ‘farther’ is a better choice than ‘further’, even though both words are acceptable.

Look no further or farther?

The correct version of this phrase is ‘look no further’ because it is being used figuratively rather than literally. For example:

Look no further, I have found the answer!
Look no further, you are where you belong.

Go farther or go further?

Both ‘go farther’ and ‘go further’ are correct, but you should use ‘go farther’ to refer to a physical distance and ‘go further’ to refer to a figurative distance that cannot be measured. For example:

A compliment will go further than criticism.
That ball will go farther if you improve your kicking technique.

A step farther or further?

Let’s take it a step further in our explanation. See what we did there? Since we are not actually speaking of taking physical steps, we chose to use ‘further’ rather than ‘farther.’

Now, if we were talking about a physical step, we would use ‘farther’:

If you want to get a closer look, you can take a step farther.
Don’t take a step farther into the forest!

Further or farther from the truth?

Since we are using the word figuratively here, the preferred choice is ‘further from the truth’ rather than ‘farther from the truth’.

Conclusion: Further vs farther

Did you think that choosing between further vs farther would be really confusing? It couldn’t be further from the truth!

Well, maybe it is a little tricky, but we hope you have picked up the general rule: ‘farther’ for a literal distance and ‘further’ for a figurative one. Although you may hear them used the other way around, if you stick to this rule then you can be confident you are using them correctly.

Now, why not go a step further and check out another article about commonly confused words?

Further vs farther: What’s the difference and how to use them correctly?