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.

---

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

---

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

Ploughing a similar furrow is Israel's Noam Bettan, whose heart has been shredded by a femme fatale called Michelle.

From BBC ● May 8, 2026

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

The front end grazed the sides of the furrow as we made our way to the station.

From "The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child" by Francisco Jiménez

A group of more than a dozen farmers and residents used tractors to dig furrows in Stourbridge, helping to contain the huge fire there on Thursday.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

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

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 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

The morning frost glistens, and—in a clever device—the low sun glimmers through a row of unseen, leafless trees behind the artist, casting crisscrossing, rhythmic shadows on the furrows.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025

As he floundered across the furrows the attack was coming in.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

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

With eyebrows furrowed, she leaned into the decks, spinning an operatic techno mashup from the turntables and orchestrating the ebb and flow of fans’ bodies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026

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

From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2025

Her brow was furrowed as she manipulated knitting needles, and Franz’s eyes were glued to the unwinding yarn ball.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

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

Eddie Izzard is furrowing her brow in mock confusion, eyes darting this way and that.

From New York Times ● Dec. 15, 2022

Mr Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, a key player in attempts to broker peace in Ukraine, stayed close to each other, with Mr Macron furrowing his brow in one particular intense chat.

From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2022

Miss Peregrine chewed her knuckle, her brow furrowing.

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs