further

American  

[fur-ther] / ˈfɜr ðər /

adverb

1. at or to a greater distance; farther.

   I'm too tired to go further.

2. at or to a more advanced point; to a greater extent.

   Let's not discuss it further.

3. in addition; moreover.

   Further, he should be here any minute.

---

adjective

1. more distant or remote; farther.

   The map shows it to be further than I thought.

2. more extended.

   Does this mean a further delay?

3. additional; more.

   Further meetings seem pointless.

verb (used with object)

1. to help forward (a work, undertaking, cause, etc.); promote; advance; forward.

   You can always count on him to further his own interests.

further British  

/ ˈfɜːðə /

adverb

1. in addition; furthermore

2. to a greater degree or extent

3. to or at a more advanced point

4. to or at a greater distance in time or space; farther

---

adjective

1. additional; more

2. more distant or remote in time or space; farther

verb

1. (tr) to assist the progress of; promote

further Idioms  

1. see without further ado.

---

Usage

What’s the difference between further and farther? Further commonly means to a greater figurative distance, as in Nothing could be further from the truth, or to a greater extent, as in Let’s discuss this further. It can also mean at or to a greater literal distance. This is what farther most commonly means, as in a few steps farther or two miles farther or We’re moving even farther away. The traditional distinction is that farther is used for literal distances and that further should be used for figurative distances or metaphorical extents, though in everyday communication, they are often used interchangeably, with further being often used for literal distances and farther being used to mean at a more advanced point or to a great extent. However, further is used in a few ways that farther is not. Further can be used as a verb meaning to advance something, such as an agenda or cause, as in This will help to further our cause. As an adjective, further can mean more extended, as in further delays, or additional, as in We will hold further meetings. It can also be used in the beginning of a sentence or clause to mean the same thing as furthermore, in addition, or moreover, as in I don’t like ice cream. Further, I don’t like pistachios. So why would you buy me pistachio ice cream? You can remember that farther is typically used for literal distance by remembering that it’s the comparative form of the adjective far, with the superlative form being farthest. Here’s an example of further and farther used correctly in the same sentence. Example: I have to drive farther than usual for work today—I’ll explain further when I get home. Want to learn more? Go the distance by reading the full breakdown of the difference between further and farther.

Commonly Confused

See farther.

Other Word Forms

• furtherer noun

Etymology

Origin of further

First recorded before 900; Middle English furthere, Old English furthra; cognate with German vordere “more advanced”

Explanation

If you ask your parents for money, they might say they need to think about it further and then ask you lots of questions. Further refers to figurative distance, like a thought you need more time on. Further often gets confused with farther, but it's better to use further to mean an abstract distance, when two things are moving apart in terms of ideals, agreement, or thoughts, and farther when you're talking about physical distance. There's also a verb form of further that means "to promote the growth or progress of," which you might use in a sentence like, "These new gigs should help her further her career as a rock musician."

Example Sentences

The portion of cardholders missing payments declined slightly at both banks, indicating consumers aren’t falling further behind.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

And then in February, amid billions of dollars of investment and major financial losses, LIV's chief executive admitted it could take a further decade for it to return a profit.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

“As the investigation remains ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage,” the spokesperson said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

“So as far as the stock market is concerned, the war is over until further notice,” said Ed Yardeni, founder and president of Yardeni Research.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

We’d been given strict instructions not to leave the main atrium until further notice, but this couldn’t wait.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• encourage
• expedite
• facilitate
• hasten
• help
• promote
• speed