Further vs. farther—which word is correct? Both words are right, but they have different meanings. When you’re talking about a physical distance, you use the word “farther.” If you are trying to communicate the idea of “more” in a figurative way, then “further” is the word that you’re looking for.
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What Is Further?
“Further” is a versatile word—it can be used as an adjective, an adverb, and even a verb. Let’s take a look at the word’s meaning:
As an Adverb
“Further” means the same thing as additionally or moreover. You use it to suggest that you are about to say something extra on top of what you already said—probably to dig deeper into a topic.
The adverb form finds its roots in the Old English “forðor”—a word that was once used to refer to concepts such as “onward” and “beyond.”
As a Verb
“Further” means progress, advance, or push forward. To further something is to extend or deepen it. As a verb, “further” stems from the Old English fyrðran or fyrðrian, which means to advance.
As An Adjective
“Further” means that something is of a greater distance, but usually not an actual physical distance. For example, if you said that your favorite actor’s career went further than your least favorite actor’s career, you would be referring to a symbolic increase in distance.
Once again, this form of “further” stems from an Old English word—this time furðra—which means superior.
Examples
- I have to go to work, but we’ll discuss this further when I get home.
- She told us she was engaged, but she raised further doubts.
- You’re not welcome to live with me anymore. And further, I’d prefer if you delete my number.
- Sarah went to college to further her educational goals.
- If you want to further your writing skills, you need to read and write more.
- He thought this movie role would further his career, but it did not.
When and How to Use Further
To use further correctly, pay close attention to the form of the word you are trying to use.
As an Adverb
First, let’s discuss the adverb meaning of “further.” Adverbs are words that modify the verb, or action word, of a sentence.
For instance, if you said someone needs to research a topic further before they give a speech about it, “further” would be tied to the verb “research.” This means that the person needs to do a greater amount of research before proceeding.
One extra function of further is that it can be a conjunctive adverb. This means it can connect one clause with another. Here’s an example of further used in this way:
“While I’m out of town, you’re in charge of the house; further, you will be responsible for getting yourself to school.”
As An Adjective
Next up, let’s look at the adjective meaning. You can use “further” as an adjective when you want to say that there is more of something.
For example, you might say that you will not be listening to any further complaints from your friend. In this example, “further” was adding additional context to the noun “complaints.”
As a Verb
As mentioned earlier, if “further” is used as a verb, the word means to progress or advance something. Therefore, you might say that you want to go to an acting school to further your knowledge of the fine arts.
So, how do you pronounce the word “further?” The way you pronounce further is straightforward. Simply say “fur” as if you were referring to the hair on a dog. Then, finish the word with “ther,” which is said like “thur.”
What Is Farther?
Just like “further,” “farther” can be an adjective and an adverb.
As an adjective, “farther” describes something that is at a greater distance. On the other hand, as an adverb, “farther” modifies the verb in a sentence, indicating that the action performed by the subject results in a greater distance.
As for the etymological roots of farther, the adjective form has been used since the 1500s to describe things that were “additional” or “located at an increased distance away.”
Meanwhile, the adverb form of farther comes from the Middle English word “ferther.”
Examples
- John ran farther than Jenny in the relay race.
- You will get to the farther side of town by taking the bus rather than trying to walk on foot.
- California is farther away from Florida than Colorado.
- Can you see the boat on the farther shore?
- The red car is farther than the blue car.
- I can’t go any farther today; my legs are so tired.
- The coffee shop is farther north.
When and How to Use Farther
You should use “farther” when you are trying to communicate about a greater distance in a literal, physical sense.
Use this word as an adjective when it is describing another word in your sentence. For example, your cousin lives farther away from you than your husband does.
On the other hand, use “farther” as an adverb when you are modifying the verb of a sentence. For example, if you said that Usain Bolt would beat you in a race because he would run farther, you would be using the adverb “farther” to modify the verb “run.”
Farther also has an intuitive pronunciation. Simply say this word as if you were saying the root word “far,” and then tag “ther” (said like “thur”) onto the end.
What’s the Difference?
You can think of these words as sisters, but not twins. If you are working to improve your English skills and accuracy, knowing the similarities and differences between further and farther is an excellent goal to have.
We’ve outlined the two key concepts that make these words similar, plus the two that set them apart, in the table below:
| Further | Farther |
| Is used to refer to greater distance | Is used to refer to greater distance |
| Can be an adjective or adverb | Can be an adjective or adverb |
| Can be a verb | Is not a verb |
| Is more symbolic | Is more literal |
Trick to Remember Which One to Use
When you look at further vs farther, you might have a hard time recalling which one is the right one to use in a specific context.
To help yourself remember, just think about this:
“Farther” contains the actual word “far,” which is used to describe great distances.
On the other hand, “further” does not have the actual word “far” in its spelling, so this should signal to you that the word is used in a more symbolic sense rather than a literal one.
Final Thoughts
Many people use further and farther interchangeably. To avoid confusion, do your best to recall that the key distinction between further vs. farther is that “farther” is used when talking about actual physical distances while “further” is reserved for figurative distance.
