a rather far

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a rather far" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used in contexts where you want to describe something as being distant or remote, but it requires additional context or modification to be grammatically correct. Example: "The destination is a rather far distance from here, so we should plan accordingly."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The maverick can be rapidly fired and is a rather far ranged gun considering its size.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

A trailer for the Wachowkis' next film, Jupiter Ascending, seems to lean more towards a rather far-out take on The Matrix, but here's hoping.

The Guardian - Film

Sextus' discussions of physics might add up to a rather far-reaching skepticism about the natural world.

SEP

Indeed, where once the company was a rather far-flung amalgamation of business units, it is now an integrated company selling a fuller package of technology products and services.

Forbes

This was also the case when Teachers A and B encountered some students who used the strategy of whole-number-based splitting the dividend (see Table 5 (d)), but split the dividend into two or more whole numbers in a rather far-fetched way (for example, 594 is split into 180 and 414).

International Journal of STEM Education

Which means that it'd be up to Congress itself to vote on killing their own paychecks -- a rather far-fetched idea, it might seem.

Huffington Post

This is a rather far-reaching finding.

Genome Biology and Evolution

In the section on "Possible mechanism of substitution of the critically-conserved R residue" the authors make a rather far-fetched speculation that Giardia might have once harbored two orthologous Sec61alpha genes allowing for the functional substitution in one of them with a concomitant mutation in the rRNA.

Biology Direct

A carves out a class of worlds which are rather close to the actual world — all within spheres two to four — whereas B carves out a class rather far from the actual world — all within spheres five to seven.

SEP

Throwing over a century of case law, the panel of D.C. judges would limit the President's authority to the pure happenstance that it occurs precisely within a recess, rather far more responsively to its announced purpose to address the broader run of vacancies that happen to exist going into the recess.

Huffington Post

Then my bed moved, as if there had been an earthquake rather far away.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing distances, opt for grammatically sound alternatives like "a considerable distance" or "quite far" to ensure clarity and professionalism.

Common error

Avoid using "a rather far" directly before a noun without including a term for distance. For instance, instead of saying "It's a rather far location", specify "It's a rather far distance to the location" or, better yet, "It's quite far to the location".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a rather far" functions as a descriptor of distance, though it's grammatically unconventional. Ludwig AI points out its incorrect usage in standard English. It aims to express that something is located at a notable distance but requires further context to be grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a rather far" attempts to describe distance or remoteness, it's considered grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. Occurring rarely and across varied sources like Wiki, News & Media, and Science, its usage is inconsistent and potentially confusing. For clearer and more effective communication, it's best to substitute it with alternatives like "a considerable distance" or "quite far". Always prioritize grammatical correctness to ensure clarity and professionalism in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a considerable distance

Replaces "rather far" with a more formal and standard term for a significant distance.

quite a distance

Uses "quite" to emphasize the length of the distance, providing a common alternative.

a significant way off

Employs a more colloquial expression to indicate something is located distantly.

a good distance away

Directly states that something is at a substantial distance, suitable for general contexts.

a long way off

A common idiom for indicating a significant distance, both physically and metaphorically.

noticeably far

Highlights that the distance is easily perceived or recognized.

a fair distance

Indicates a reasonable or moderate distance, useful when the distance isn't extreme.

some distance

Simply implies that there is a non-negligible distance involved.

at a remove

Suggests that something is set apart or detached, either physically or conceptually.

somewhat remote

Focuses on the isolation or inaccessibility implied by distance.

FAQs

How can I correctly express a considerable distance in a sentence?

Instead of using the grammatically awkward phrase "a rather far", use alternatives like "a considerable distance" or "quite far" to convey the idea of significant remoteness more effectively.

What are some more formal ways to say "a rather far"?

For formal contexts, substitute "a rather far" with phrases such as "a significant distance" or "a substantial way off" to maintain a higher level of formality.

Is "a rather far" grammatically correct?

According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "a rather far" is not considered grammatically correct in standard written English. It's advisable to use clearer and more accepted alternatives.

What's the difference between "a rather far distance" and "quite far"?

"A rather far distance" is less concise than "quite far". While both express remoteness, "quite far" is more direct and commonly used, making it a preferable choice in most contexts.