Commonly Confused Words: Further and Farther

A common query in English is whether that first little vowel in further/farther really makes any difference. If you’re running a longer distance than someone else, are you going further or farther than them? And if you’re expounding on an idea, why can you “further explain” but it sounds strange to say you’re going to “farther explain”? Is the day coming when “farther” is going to be completely eliminated by “further”? Let’s further explore (see what I did there?) these ambitious words and their combative past.

The Rule

To put it simply, “farther” is used when you’re referring to a physical distance.

Jane ran farther than Jim.

The restaurant is about three miles farther up the road.

The farthest seats from the stage have the worst view but also are the least expensive.

By contrast, “further” refers to a more abstract quantity, degree, or extent.

Consult me before you take further action.

Leslie is further along than Rachel in the program.

Without further goodbyes, my cousin ran out of the house.

But “Further” Is Greedy

“Further” has started infringing on the territory of “farther” a bit, and it doesn’t sound strange to use “further” in place of “farther,” even when you’re referring to a physical distance.

I ran further than anyone else on the team.

Sam lives in the house that’s furthest away from mine on the street.

I highlighted those in orange because using “further” to refer to physical distance is very common in English, but if you want to maintain strict correctness, it is still more accurate to use “farther” in those situations. While chatting to your friend, feel free to toss out “further” as much as you want. But if you’re writing an important academic paper, try to keep “further” and “farther” in their respective places.

Can “Farther” Fight Back?

The “further-farther” switch-a-roo does not work both ways. Although “further” is often used for physical distances, “farther” cannot be used for metaphorical distances.

The professor expounded farther on the importance of studying before the exam.

Penny tossed the book away without a farther thought.

Why Do We Even Have Both?

That basic distinction—”farther” for physical distance and “further” for metaphorical distance—is generally enough to steer you in the right direction when you’re trying to decide which word to use. But as I was researching this topic, I found some very interesting facts about the words’ histories and how “further” has been trying to bully “farther” out of use for decades.

Interestingly, neither “further” nor “farther” actually came from the word “far.” According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage, “further” is the older of the two words and came from the word “forth.” “Farther” appeared in Middle English (which was spoken from about 1100 to 1500 CE) as a variant of “further.” (Maybe it’s no wonder that “further” is trying to get rid of “father”—it was there first!)

At first, both words were used as an adjective that meant “additional.” There are historical examples of people writing phrases such as “I have no farther thought of danger,” which now sounds quite strange when you say it out loud. Today, only “further” can be used in that sense.

I am waiting for further instructions before I proceed with the experiment.

Josie was looking for farther encouragement from her mentor but found none.

“Farther” can still be used as an adjective, but only when it’s referring to literal distance.

The farther parking spot is the one we want, even though we’ll have to walk a farther distance to the entrance.

When used as adverbs, the distinction remains that “further” should be used for metaphorical distance and “farther” for physical.

Their argument only further strained the relationship.

I was too tired to walk any farther.

As was mentioned previously, however, “further” can comfortably be used even when referring to physical distance in casual conversation. The distinction between the two words should still be maintained in more formal contexts.

Not only can Mike walk further than Bill, he can walk faster, too.

As a sentence adverb, only “further” can be used.

It’s too cold to go out, and the car is almost out of gas. Further, I have no desire to leave the house and would prefer to stay here all night.

Farther, I have no desire to leave the house and would prefer to stay here all night.

So there is a difference between the two words, and it’s important to keep them in their respective places when writing in a formal context. However, “further” is a rule breaker and doesn’t seem to respect “farther”‘s personal space, which is why you’ll often hear it used even when “farther” would be more correct!

Sources:

• Ebbitt, D. R., and W. R. Ebbitt. Index to English. 8th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.
  
• Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage. 14th ed. Taunton, MA: QuadGraphics, 2016.