had not far

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had not far" is not correct and usable in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete expression and lacks clarity in meaning. Example: "They had not far to travel before reaching their destination."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

He had not far to look, for his fellow officers were anything but attentive to business.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In countries as different as Uruguay, Algeria, Peru, and Israel, guerrilla war shifted (in many cases, it had not far to go) into pure terror directed against civilian populations.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Keep driving, you have not far to go.

The New York Times

But campaigners said the committee had not gone far enough.

Independent

Others thought the aldermen had not gone far enough.

The New York Times

Until 1855, Dickinson had not strayed far from Amherst.

Wikipedia

ANDREW, meanwhile, hadn't strayed far.

The New York Times

(They hadn't gone far, honeymooning in their village).

The New York Times

But the bear hadn't gone far.

Vice

It has not so far.

The Economist

But the Russians have not gone far.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating a short distance, use clearer and more common alternatives such as "nearby", "close by", or "a short distance away" instead of the ambiguous phrase "had not far".

Common error

Do not use the phrase "had not far" as it can be unclear. Ensure your phrasing explicitly states what or who "had not far" to do or travel to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had not far" functions as part of a clause aiming to indicate a short distance or proximity. However, Ludwig AI suggests that the phrase is not correct and usable in written English, further stating that "it seems to be an incomplete expression and lacks clarity in meaning."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "had not far" appears in some published sources, Ludwig AI indicates that it is not considered correct or clear English. It aims to express a short distance, but more common and unambiguous alternatives such as "nearby", "a short distance away", or ""didn't have far to go"" are preferable. Therefore, writers should opt for clearer phrasing to avoid potential confusion and improve readability. Given the few examples, this phrase is not frequently used. The phrase has been detected in news, media and encyclopedias.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

didn't have far to go

Expresses that the remaining distance was short.

was a short distance away

A more formal way of expressing that something was not far.

was nearby

Replaces "had not far" by indicating that something or someone was located close by.

was close

Similar to "was nearby", this indicates a short distance.

was in close proximity

A more formal way to say something was nearby.

wasn't far off

Indicates nearness in terms of location or time.

was just around the corner

A more idiomatic way of saying something was very close.

was only a stone's throw away

An idiomatic expression indicating a very short distance.

was within reach

Indicates something was easily accessible or attainable.

was a hop, skip, and a jump away

An informal, playful way of saying something was close.

FAQs

What does "had not far" mean?

The phrase "had not far" suggests that someone or something did not have a long distance to travel or go. However, it's not a common or clear way to express this idea, and alternatives like "didn't have far to go" are preferred.

What can I say instead of "had not far"?

You can use alternatives like "was nearby", "was close", or "a short distance away" to express the same idea more clearly.

Is it grammatically correct to say "had not far"?

While not strictly ungrammatical, "had not far" is an uncommon and potentially confusing construction. It's better to use more explicit and widely accepted alternatives. Ludwig AI confirms this ambiguity.

How can I use "didn't have far to go" correctly?

Use it to indicate that someone or something was close to reaching a destination or completing a task. For example, "They "didn't have far to go" before reaching the summit."