is rather far

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is rather far" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a distance that is significant or considerable, either literally or figuratively. Example: "The nearest gas station is rather far from here, so we should fill up before we leave."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

After all, it is rather far away.

Independent

The Corner of the Lonely Soul is rather far from the Corner of God's Grace and uncomfortably close to the Corner of the Lion.

The New York Times

General Zambrano has retorted that the opposition is trying to drum up interest in a non-story to weaken the government ahead of the presidential election in October, in which Mr Chávez is running for a third term.If there is a political plan behind the allegations, it is probably ill-conceived the plill-conceived theenous is rather far down the list of Venezuelans' electoral concerns.

The Economist

The growth partitioning under water limited conditions is rather far from being well explored and understood (Martínez-Vilalta et al. 2012; Grote et al. 2016).

Forest Ecosystems

Although the UAE has a very ambitious national target for clean energy, the deliverable date of 2050 is rather far in the future.

Energy Transitions

Even though I am now carrying on with these experiments, I do so during my free time, given that my Ph.D. is rather far away from the saucepans.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

This scenario is rather far-fetched.

The Economist

But any legal victory would be hollow unless the record labels come up with attractive online services of their own and do so fast.Napster's defence is rather far-fetched.

The Economist

Now we were rather far apart and had to yell to be heard.

The New York Times

"I must conclude, alas, that real reality and published reality were rather far apart.

The Guardian

A company official who discussed product development on the condition of anonymity said work on the new engine, called 16X, was rather far along.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "is rather far", consider the context and audience. It's a versatile phrase suitable for both formal and informal writing, but ensure the level of formality aligns with your overall tone.

Common error

While "rather" is acceptable, excessive use can make your writing sound less confident. In formal contexts, consider stronger, more precise adverbs like "significantly" or "considerably" instead of "rather".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is rather far" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or adjective, indicating the degree or extent to which something is distant or remote. Ludwig examples show its use in describing physical distances and abstract concepts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

41%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "is rather far" is a grammatically correct and versatile way to describe something as being significantly distant or remote, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in written English. While "rather" softens the statement compared to "very far", it still conveys a notable degree of separation. Examples in Ludwig show its presence in science, news, and encyclopedic sources. When considering alternatives, "is quite distant" or "is fairly remote" offer similar meanings, but remember to adjust the tone to match your audience and context. Overusing "rather" in highly formal writing may diminish the impact, so consider stronger alternatives if precision is paramount.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is quite distant

Replaces "rather" with "quite", indicating a similar degree of distance.

is fairly remote

Uses "fairly" and "remote" to convey a similar meaning of being distant or isolated.

is a considerable distance

Emphasizes the extent of the distance, making it seem more significant.

is a long way off

Uses a more idiomatic expression to indicate distance, suitable for informal contexts.

lies a significant distance away

Employs a more formal and descriptive phrasing, emphasizing the location's separation.

is located remotely

Focuses on the remote location, suggesting isolation or inaccessibility.

is situated far away

Uses "situated" to describe the location and "far away" to indicate distance.

is at a remove

Indicates distance in a more abstract or figurative sense.

is a good distance from

Emphasizes the substantial distance separating two points.

is not within easy reach

Focuses on the difficulty of accessing the location, implying distance and other obstacles.

FAQs

What does "is rather far" mean?

The phrase "is rather far" indicates that something is at a significant distance, either literally in terms of physical space, or figuratively in terms of being remote or detached in some other way.

How can I use "is rather far" in a sentence?

You can use "is rather far" to describe the distance between two locations, the remoteness of an idea, or the extent to which something deviates from a standard. For example, "The nearest hospital "is rather far" from this village."

What can I say instead of "is rather far"?

You can use alternatives like "is quite distant", "is fairly remote", or "is a considerable distance" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "is rather far" and "is very far"?

"Is very far" emphasizes a greater degree of distance compared to "is rather far". While both indicate significant distance, "very" implies more extremity than "rather".