furrow

American  

[fur-oh, fuhr-oh] / ˈfɜr oʊ, ˈfʌr oʊ /

noun

• furrows
  plural

1. 

   a narrow groove made in the ground, especially by a plow.

2. a narrow groovelike or trenchlike depression in any surface.

   the furrows of a wrinkled face.

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verb (used with object)

• furrows,
  present (3rd person singular)
• furrowed,
  past participle,  past
• furrowing
  present participle

1. to make a furrow or furrows in.

2. to make wrinkles in (the face).

   to furrow one's brow.

verb (used without object)

• furrows,
  present (3rd person singular)
• furrowed,
  past participle,  past
• furrowing
  present participle

1. to become furrowed.

furrow British  

/ ˈfʌrəʊ /

noun

1. a long narrow trench made in the ground by a plough or a trench resembling this

2. any long deep groove, esp a deep wrinkle on the forehead

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verb

1. to develop or cause to develop furrows or wrinkles

2. to make a furrow or furrows in (land)

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• furrower
  noun
• furrow-like
  adjective
• furrowless
  adjective
• furrowlike
  adjective
• furrowy
  adjective
• unfurrowed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• furrows
  plural

Participles

• furrowing
  present
• furrowed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• furrow
  simple
• furrows
  simple
• have furrowed
  perfect
• has furrowed
  perfect
• am furrowing
  progressive
• are furrowing
  progressive
• is furrowing
  progressive
• have been furrowing
  perfect progressive
• has been furrowing
  perfect progressive

Past

• furrowed
  simple
• had furrowed
  perfect
• was furrowing
  progressive
• were furrowing
  progressive
• had been furrowing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will furrow
  simple
• will have furrowed
  perfect
• will be furrowing
  progressive
• will have been furrowing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of furrow

before 900; Middle English forwe, furgh, Old English furh; cognate with Old Frisian furch, Old High German fur ( u ) h ( German Furche ), Latin porca ridge between furrows

Explanation

A furrow is a groove or a depression. Originally, furrows were created in soil for water to flow. Now, its most common meaning is of a deep line or wrinkle on the face, as in a "furrowed brow." Furrow is related to the old English word farrow, meaning "to root like a swine," which makes sense, seeing as both acts create trenches in the earth. Sometimes a furrow simply means the impression left by a cart wheel or tire track in the mud. In a non-agricultural sense, a furrow is also simply a slight groove or depression or series of indentations in the surface of any object.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

furrow furrows furrowed furrowing

The evidence points to more intensive farming methods, such as ridge and furrow ploughing to limit erosion and more focused gardening practices.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 27, 2026

"So I tried to take a pretty free hand with it and kind of plow my own furrow."

From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 2026

Harris is exceptionally good at the furrow, the side-eye, the chin stroke, and the silent, syrup-scented “Bless his heart.”

From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2024

He will be remembered for ploughing his own political furrow, regardless of the consequences for his career.

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2024

But though a furrow grew upon his flesh and a callus formed there as large as a bowl, no rain came.

From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck

Bites often leave punctures or furrows in bone, but disease, insects, weathering, and erosion can create similar features.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

Colombia’s similarly doesn’t shy away from how violent its fight for independence was, but takes solace that “in furrows of pain/good now germinates.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026

"If the baiter hasn't followed quickly enough behind the seeder, the mice are coming along at night and eating the seed out of the furrows," she says.

From BBC ● May 30, 2026

“Hamlin,” read a sign, and for miles in both directions were furrows and beds with only dirt or scrub brush or dead trees.

From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2026

Over the field he drove them, pressing the plow down firmly and casting the dragon’s teeth into the furrows.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Julian Hoffman’s remarkable new memoir begins with birds: “The sky was a harbor all of a sudden. Wherever you looked, wings furrowed wakes in the air.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

"The people in charge up there need to take action," the 59-year-old continued, his brow deeply furrowed.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

“Trying to work out why it should be released was actually quite an obstacle,” he says with a furrowed brow, but still bearing a smile.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2025

Back in 2015, when I lived there, even a mention of a tuna melt drew a furrowed brow.

From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2025

Then, after having been so eager to get off, the passengers walked slowly, some gazing around with their brows furrowed.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata

Now, some clients 30 and older are seeking out dermatologists and aestheticians with nursing degrees who can help them maintain a slight patina of wrinkles—at least enough for furrowing and raising the brows.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

There's no slight furrowing of the brow or regret in her voice, nothing that could be read as disappointment.

From Salon ● Mar. 22, 2024

Over many table reads, I honed the screenplay for them, paring down and furrowing deeper.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2023

The portrait’s power was unquestionable: In shades of rose, beige and taupe, it captured a young Joan Didion, angst furrowing her brow.

From New York Times ● Dec. 19, 2022

I watch him, his deep-blue eyes focused on the paper, his dark eyebrows furrowing as he concentrates.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott