# further vs. farther

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/further-vs-farther/123397>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 11, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/further-vs-farther/123397 "2002-08-11T14:28:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bensonGemini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@bensonGemini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bensonGemini)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/further-vs-farther/123397/1 "2002-08-11T14:28:14Z")

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When is it proper to use each of these? When is it not proper?

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**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/further-vs-farther/123397/2 "2002-08-11T14:38:58Z")

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This is a relatively easy one. Farther is measurable distance. Further is unmeasurable - things like emotions.

Examples:

His house is _farther_ down this road.

I will go _further_ to impress you with my love (unless I am talking about a walking contest).

```
      or

```

His idea _further_ complicated the situation.

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**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/further-vs-farther/123397/3 "2002-08-11T15:47:25Z")

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what about with time? I think i say “I will not discuss this any further” and not “… farther”. but time is a measurable distance, kind of.

so is ‘farther’ talking strictly about physical distance, and everything else is ‘further’, or what?

jb

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**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/further-vs-farther/123397/4 "2002-08-11T16:43:39Z")

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I tell my students that “further” essentially means “more.”

The confusion comes in that sometimes we could get across essentially the same point by using either “further” or “farther”.

Most cases are relatively clear, though:

“His house is a _greater distance_ down this road.”

“I will go _to a greater extent_ to impress you with my love.”

“His idea _even more_ complicated the situation.” (I know the grammar doesn’t work exactly with this one, but it still keeps the point of the sentence.)

In **jb\_farley’s** example, we wouldn’t mean that we won’t discuss this for a greater distance, but “any more”, presumably.

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**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/further-vs-farther/123397/5 "2002-08-11T17:04:56Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Some authorities (like the Associated Press) insist on “farther” to refer to physical distance and on “further” to refer to an extent of time or degree, but others treat the two words as interchangeable except for insisting on “further” for “in addition,” “moreover.” You’ll always be safe in making the distinction; some people get really testy about this.

[http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/farther.html](http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/farther.html)