a tad far

USAGE SUMMARY

"a tad far" is a correct phrase and is often used in written English.
It means "slightly far," often referring to the distance between two things. For example: "My house is a tad far from your office."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In his case, selling fruit and veg at a farmer's market, aged 15 — something a tad far removed from his time at Balderton selling Bebo to AOL for $850m.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

OQO's claim that you could use the OQO as your sole computer is a tad far-fetched; its limited memory, speed and storage would probably put a crimp in your computing style.

The New York Times - Tech

But in this age of heightened security — when we show our driver's licenses to board airplanes and passports to pick up Happy Meals — it seems a tad far-fetched that he hasn't caught a glimpse of his wife's true birth date.

The New York Times

But the mayor's idea for a $200 million nine-block revitalization project near a new $47 million Triple-A baseball stadium is a tad far-fetched, given the high crime rate six events per 100 residents.

Forbes

When Green Family Foundation President Kimberly Green somewhat jokingly suggested getting San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro to keynote Americans for Immigrant Justice's annual dinner, even she thought the idea a tad far-fetched.

Huffington Post

And SNL goes a tad too far.

Independent

For many art historians, however, all this romanticism has gone a tad too far.

The New York Times - Arts

Whole paragraphs are spent lugubriously pointing out where Sides thinks he may have extrapolated a tad too far.

The Guardian - Books

(These final auteurs, he seems to be suggesting in this least congruent of the essays, carried the concept of magic realism a tad too far).

The New York Times - Books

The postcrisis bad behavior — reckless trading at a JPMorgan Chase unit in London, the rampant mortgage modification and foreclosure abuses, manipulation of the key global interest rate benchmark — went just a tad too far.

The New York Times

Our favourites from last week's blog 1) In their ice hockey world championship quarter-final clash with Russia, Switzerland take the whole "neutrality" thing a tad too far by scoring two own goals in a 6-0 defeat.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a tad far" to describe an action or idea, ensure the context makes it clear what the reference point is. For example, "His suggestion was a tad far from the company's budget" clarifies the standard against which the suggestion is being judged.

Common error

Avoid using "a tad far" in highly formal writing or professional settings where a more precise or serious tone is expected. Opt for alternatives like "slightly excessive" or "somewhat unfeasible" to maintain a professional demeanor.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a tad far" functions as a degree adverb phrase, modifying an adjective or adverb to indicate a slight degree of excess or distance. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness, highlighting its role in qualifying the extent of something.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a tad far" functions as a degree adverb phrase used to express that something is slightly distant, excessive, or unrealistic. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and most commonly found in news and media contexts. While versatile, it's important to note that "a tad far" leans towards informality and should be replaced with options like "slightly excessive" or "somewhat unfeasible" in professional settings. Remember to use it when you want to express gentle understatement, keeping in mind its neutral register and communicative purpose.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slightly distant

Emphasizes the mild degree of distance involved, focusing on spatial separation.

marginally further

Highlights a small increase in distance, often in a comparative context.

somewhat remote

Indicates a degree of removal, implying a lack of accessibility or connection.

just beyond

Indicates a position immediately past a certain point or limit.

a bit excessive

Shifts the context from distance to excessiveness, indicating something goes slightly beyond what's reasonable.

a shade too much

Highlights the degree to which something is excessive

a little extreme

Similar to "a bit excessive", but suggests a stronger deviation from the norm.

not quite within reach

Focuses on the inability to reach something easily, signifying being at an almost unachievable distance

barely reachable

Focuses on the difficulty of reaching something, emphasizing proximity to a limit.

a hair's breadth away

Conveys a minute distance from a goal

FAQs

How can I use "a tad far" in a sentence?

You can use "a tad far" to express that something is slightly distant, excessive, or unrealistic. For example, "The initial estimate was "a tad far" from our budget", indicating the estimate slightly exceeded what was allocated.

What are some alternatives to saying "a tad far"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "slightly distant", "a bit excessive", or "somewhat unrealistic" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "a tad far" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "a tad far" might be considered informal. For formal writing, consider using more precise and professional alternatives like "slightly excessive" or "somewhat unfeasible".

In what situations is it best to use "a tad far"?

"A tad far" is best used in informal or neutral contexts where you want to express that something is just slightly beyond what is expected or acceptable without being overly critical.