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Farther vs. Further
Farther versus Further
Throughout history, farther and further have been used interchangeably. Even the Merriam-Webster Dictionary states that the words are interchangeable; they are the inflected form of far. It is not until recent history that they are becoming distinguished by grammarians.
Farther
Farther shows a relation to physical distance. If you can replace the word farther with "more miles" then you have done it correctly.
- Our car drove farther than I thought it would on one tank of gas.
- I wanted to run farther, but I became too exhausted.
- Our house is farther away from the restaurant than yours.
Further
Further relates to metaphorical distance or depth. It is a time, degree, or quantity. It is also another way of saying "additional".
- I asked that there be further discussion on the matter.
- I need to look further into the logistics of moving farther from my office building.
- I hope that gas prices drop further for our road trip vacation.