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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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far close

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "far close" is not correct and does not make sense in written English.
It seems to be a contradiction, as "far" and "close" have opposing meanings. Example: "The two cities are far close to each other, making travel easy." (This example is incorrect due to the phrase itself.)

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

So far, close to 20 farmers and other Greenmarket vendors have signed up, said Michael Hurwitz, the Greenmarket director.

News & Media

The New York Times

So far, close to a dozen people have looked at the ship, "but nobody has stepped up to the plate," Mr. Derecktor said.

News & Media

The New York Times

The executives have so far kept those names private, and the only similar shows so far close to being scheduled are both on MTV.

News & Media

The New York Times

So far, close to twenty thousand have been sold through College Humor.com for a profit of about ten dollars apiece. "We figured that other people would copy them, so we took a patent out on it," Josh said.

News & Media

The New Yorker

Stanford PhD student Andrej Karpathy has used Twitter's API to compile a partial list of the so far close to 4,000 winners of Google's Glass Explorers first adopter competition who applied to buy the high tech specs via Twitter.

News & Media

TechCrunch

The other is two alternating shots of a hallway: close, far; close, far; close, far; close, far, repeat.

News & Media

Vice
Show more...

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

However, if one probes social media and measures the temperature of the kids milling about, the guitar-playing teens and the poetry-loving intellectuals are churning out gems 10 to the dozen; finding beauty in ideas, conversation and football itself; relishing still images of the games so far, close-ups of the players, analysing every detail of the tournament instant by instant.

Since it went into orbit, Chandra has provided a stream of spectacular X-ray images of heavenly bodies, near and far: close-ups of comets, exploding stars, gases jetting from around black holes and awesome quasars about 10 billion light-years from Earth.

News & Media

The New York Times

But there is a far closer comparison.

News & Media

The New York Times

Certainly he got far closer than Lamouchi.

That brings the prospect of a second referendum far closer.

News & Media

Independent
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "far close" in formal writing. Instead, choose a phrase that accurately reflects the intended meaning of proximity or distance.

Common error

Do not combine contradictory terms like "far" and "close". This creates confusion and undermines the clarity of your writing. Determine whether you want to emphasize distance or proximity and select your words accordingly.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

89%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "far close" functions as an incorrect attempt to describe spatial relation. It contradicts itself by using antonyms, resulting in a grammatically and semantically flawed expression. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is incorrect.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

23%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "far close" is grammatically incorrect and semantically contradictory. While it appears in various sources, including news, science, and formal business contexts, its usage is not recommended due to its inherent lack of logical sense. Ludwig AI confirms its incorrectness. Instead, writers should opt for more precise alternatives like "very near", "quite distant", or "relatively close" depending on the intended meaning. Understanding the contradictory nature of "far close" is essential for clear and effective communication.

FAQs

Is "far close" grammatically correct?

No, "far close" is not grammatically correct. The terms "far" and "close" are antonyms, and combining them creates a contradictory and nonsensical phrase.

What can I say instead of "far close"?

Depending on the intended meaning, you can use alternatives like "very near", "quite distant", or "relatively close".

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "far close"?

It is generally not appropriate to use the phrase "far close" in formal or informal writing, as it is semantically contradictory. Consider more precise and logical alternatives.

What's the difference between "far close" and "in close proximity"?

"Far close" is an incorrect and contradictory phrase. "In close proximity" is a grammatically correct phrase that means nearby or not far away. They are not interchangeable.

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Source & Trust

89%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: