The Difference Between Farther and Further

You should know the difference between “farther” and “further”.

Many people use “further” and “farther” interchangeable, but, in fact, they mean slightly different things.  “Farther” refers to a physical distance, while “further” refers to a figurative distance.  So, when wondering how many more miles or kilometers to a particular destination, you’d say, “How much farther to the gas station?”  On the other hand, when speaking of a figurative measure, you should use “further”. For instance, “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Probably the best way to remember the distinction between “farther” and “further” is to think about where you’d use the word “furthermore”.  In this case, you use it much like “in addition to”, which is tied to something figurative.  So just remember “farther” = “physical” and “further” = “figurative”.

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