far than

USAGE SUMMARY

'far than' is not correct or usable in written English; it should be 'farther than' or 'further than'.
For example, "He ran farther than anyone else in the race."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It is harder by far than North Korea.

The New York Times

Although safer, by far, than driving.

The New Yorker

Mr Primakov has done better, so far, than many expected.

The Economist

It's nicer by far than any from his past.

The New York Times

Of late they have proved a dreadful investment worse by far than government bonds.

The Economist

"It's cheaper by far than psychoanalysis and much more uplifting," Ms. Ephron said.

The New York Times

The entrepreneur was more adventurous, by far, than the designer — an intrepid pioneer of self-promotion.

The New Yorker

(It required more work, by far, than I expended on the book).

The New York Times - Magazine

As everyone knows, bad girls are sexier, by far, than good ones.

The New York Times - Books

"We've covered more this year so far than we did last year".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Chimeric slugs have been observed to move less far than clonal slugs of the same size [ 28] and this effect would differ between our treatments.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to express a greater degree or extent, substitute the phrase "far than" with grammatically sound alternatives such as "much more than", "farther than" (for physical distance), or "further than" (for abstract comparisons).

Common error

Avoid using "far than" in your writing. Remember that "far" needs to be in its comparative form ("farther" or "further") when making comparisons. "Farther" refers to physical distance, while "further" refers to abstract or non-physical extent.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "far than" functions as an incorrect comparative. It attempts to express a greater degree or extent but fails to do so grammatically. Ludwig AI identifies this as an incorrect usage, advising against it.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Science

20%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "far than" is a grammatically incorrect attempt to express comparison. As Ludwig AI clearly indicates, the correct forms are "farther than" (for physical distances) and "further than" (for abstract comparisons). Despite its common occurrence in various sources, including News & Media and Wiki, it is crucial to avoid "far than" in formal writing. Instead, opt for alternatives like "much more than" or "significantly more than" to convey the intended meaning with grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

much more than

Emphasizes a greater degree of difference.

significantly more than

Highlights a notable difference.

considerably greater than

Indicates a substantial difference in size or amount.

farther than

Corrects "far" to its comparative form for physical distance.

further than

Corrects "far" to its comparative form for abstract distance or degree.

by a wide margin

Expresses a clear and decisive difference.

to a greater extent than

Formal way to express a larger degree or scope.

markedly different from

Highlights a noticeable dissimilarity.

noticeably superior to

Indicates a clear advantage or higher quality.

distinctly better than

Expresses a clear and unmistakable improvement.

FAQs

What is the correct way to compare distances or degrees using "far"?

When comparing physical distances, use ""farther than"". For abstract comparisons or degrees, use ""further than"". For example, "He ran farther than I did" or "She took the idea further than anyone expected".

Is "far than" ever grammatically correct?

No, "far than" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The comparative forms "farther than" and "further than" should be used instead, depending on the context.

What alternatives can I use instead of the incorrect phrase "far than"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "much more than", "significantly more than", or "to a greater extent than". Always consider whether you are referring to physical distance (use "farther than") or an abstract degree (use "further than").

How do I choose between "farther than" and "further than"?

"Farther than" is used for physical distances. Example: "He walked farther than she did". "Further than" is used for non-physical, abstract distances or degrees. Example: "She took the analysis further than anyone else".