What’s the difference between "farther" and "further"?

Have you ever felt puzzled about when to use "farther" and "further"? They both seem to describe distance and something being far away, so they can be used interchangeably, right? Well, that’s not always the case. Let's clear up the confusion!

We use the word "farther" when talking about a physical distance, such as when you can walk farther than your friend. We use "further" for everything else. "Further" refers to abstractions such as ideas or thoughts.

Farther: physical distance

"Farther" is more limited because it normally refers to physical distance. It includes the word "far," making it easier to remember. Here are some examples:

• "In fact, on every measure, those who ran farther, faster, or more frequently recorded a lower death rate than non-runners." (New York Times)

• "The pilots traveled farther and longer in a gas balloon than anyone in history." (Washington Times)

Further: figurative distance

However, the word "further" refers to a figurative distance. It is not the kind you measure with a ruler, but the kind that pertains to thinking about something more deeply or extensively.

It is the older of the two words and often has a double meaning. Here are some examples:

• "But the agency sought to go further, by exploring the reasons for those deficiencies." (New York Times)
• "The app takes the Tinder model one step further by actually optimizing possible matches according to consumption preferences." (Time)

Exceptions to the rule

It is interesting to note, however, that "farther" and "further" can sometimes be used interchangeably (especially in the adverb form).

Here are a few examples:

• "How much farther do we have to go?"

         "It's just a mile further."

• "How much further do you want to take this argument?"

         "I've taken it farther than I want to already."

In summary, while “farther” and “further” can be interchangeable on occasion, a practical guideline is to use “farther” when referring to physical distance and “further” when referring to figurative distance. Following this rule can prevent any potential confusion in their usage.

So, while some people think that "farther" and "further" are the same, nothing could be further from the truth! (See what we did there?)