have come very far

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have come very far" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express significant progress or development in a particular situation or journey. Example: "Over the past few years, we have come very far in our efforts to improve community health."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

"We have been on a transformative journey and we have come very far.

The Guardian

This team has been together for a long time, we have come very far.

The Guardian - Sport

We have come very far as a country and as a people, but we still have a way to go.

The New York Times

Americans' acceptance of same-sex marriage, and the legal and political support for it, have come very far, very fast in the four years since two prominent lawyers on opposite sides of the 2000 Bush v. Gore case, Theodore Olson and David Boies, filed the challenge to Proposition 8 that culminated on Wednesday.

The New York Times

We have come very far in bringing attention to diaper need in the eight years since I began this journey in 2004.

Huffington Post

I am hotter, wittier, richer, more charitable, politically active, volunteer more, a better parent or more longer-suffering, depressed, less understood, etc. -- than anyone else you know!" Few of us have come very far from our childhood playground antics of one-upping each other.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Barack Obama has come very far very fast.

The New Yorker

You had come very far, to come here.

The New Yorker

"The world has come very far since then," said Dr. Sadik, who, by 1987, had become the fund's executive director.

The New York Times

But what is clear is that Zimbabwe has come very far downhill over the last few decades (although it has risen a bit since its trough two years ago).

The New York Times

In "Money Honey," the jump beat has come very far up front, but the knowing, tough, post-blues lyric has such authority that it will not be overwhelmed.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have come very far" to emphasize the distance traveled, whether literal or figurative, in achieving a goal or reaching a current state. It's effective when highlighting a significant transformation or progress over time.

Common error

Avoid using "have come very far" when the actual progress is minimal or insignificant. Ensure the context genuinely reflects substantial advancement to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have come very far" functions as a verb phrase indicating the completion of a significant portion of a journey or process. As seen in Ludwig, it expresses substantial progress or advancement. The auxiliary verb "have" indicates a present perfect tense, linking past actions to present results.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

30%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have come very far" is a grammatically sound and moderately frequent expression used to signify substantial progress or advancement, as confirmed by Ludwig. Its neutral register and broad applicability make it suitable for various contexts, primarily in news, science, and business. Ludwig also provides several alternative phrases to express the same idea, such as "have progressed significantly" or "have made great strides", offering flexibility in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have journeyed a long way

Replaces "come" with "journeyed" and maintains a similar figurative meaning.

have progressed significantly

Emphasizes the extent of progress made; replaces "very far" with "significantly".

have advanced considerably

Focuses on the advancement aspect; "considerably" quantifies the advancement.

have made great strides

Uses a more idiomatic expression to indicate significant improvement.

have improved substantially

Highlights the improvement aspect, replacing "far" with "substantially".

have reached a milestone

Indicates the completion of a significant stage in a process or journey.

have achieved significant growth

Focuses on growth and achievement rather than distance traveled.

have evolved remarkably

Highlights a process of evolution and notable change.

have developed extensively

Focuses on the development aspect, implying a thorough process.

have surmounted many obstacles

Shifts the focus to overcoming challenges in order to progress.

FAQs

What does it mean to say that we "have come very far"?

Saying we "have come very far" means that significant progress has been made, either literally in terms of distance or figuratively in terms of achievement or development.

How can I use "have come very far" in a sentence?

You can use "have come very far" to highlight the progress made in a particular area. For instance, "We "have come very far" in our understanding of the universe" shows significant advancement in knowledge.

What are some alternatives to "have come very far"?

Alternatives include phrases like "have progressed significantly", "have advanced considerably", or "have made great strides" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "have come very far" or "have come a long way"?

Both "have come very far" and "have come a long way" are correct and similar in meaning. The choice depends on stylistic preference, though "have come very far" might subtly emphasize the degree or extent of the progress.