Difference Between Farthest and Furthest
Farthest vs Furthest
“Farthest” and “furthest” both refer to distance, but the difference lies in the usage. “Farthest” refers to the physical distance, and “furthest” refers to a greater or higher degree. Many users use the two words in the same context and meaning. This creates quite a confusing situation. “Farthest” and “furthest” have very different usages.
Farthest
“Farthest” describes physical distance. It may be described as “most distant or remote.” For example:
Among all his cousins he lives farthest from the lake.
What is the farthest distance that you have ever covered in a race?
I went 15 miles farther than you.
Pluto is the farthest planet from the sun in our solar system.
How much farther do we have to travel to reach the house?
“Farthest” is a comparative degree of “far.” It is a more measurable quantity.
“Farthest” is used as both an adjective and an adverb. If you are talking about actual distance, the word that has appropriate usage is “farthest.”
Furthest
“Furthest” is used to describe a greater degree. It may be described as “covering the greatest area or distance.” For example:
According to the original schedule, the project should be further along.
The expedition went to the furthest ends of the Earth.
This class will further your understanding of the differences between ethics and morals.
The human brain can travel the furthest distances of time and space.
As I moved further, I found the lake by the house.
We won’t be able to answer these questions until we are further along in our research.
What further evidence is required to prove the case?
“Furthest” is used as a verb, adjective, and adverb.
“Furthest” is superlative degree of “further.” It is a bit of a conceptual meaning. It is used more in the context of nonphysical, metaphorical advancement.
“Furthest” is also used in phrases as “at the furthest.” For example:
The Railway track had been pushed forward, at the furthest, about 10 km.
Summary:
1.“Farthest” is used only for the distance while “furthest” is used in the conceptual extent.
2.“Farthest” is used to describe physical distance while “furthest” describes a greater degree.
3.“Furthest” is used in phrases as well. “Farthest” has no such use.
4.“Farthest” is comparative degree of “far” while “furthest” is the superlative degree of “further.”
5.“Farthest” is not used as a verb while “furthest” is used as a verb.
6.If talking about actual distance, both “farther” and “furthest” may be used. But for more non-physical or abstract usage, “furthest” is the only option.
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Dear DifferenceBetween.net,
Without expanding on the irony of this particular mistake, this note is to inform you of what I’ll generously call a typo. Since it’s surely an oversight, I imagine you’re not aware of it and would like to be in order to make a correction. In the fourth sentence of the first paragraph, the word ‘quiet’ is used rather than ‘quite’.
Kind regards,
~ Jennifer Terry ~
Jennifer… learn your words before criticizing others. Quiet means silent. Quite means to a greater degree. The sentence above is correct and the word “quite” is the one to be used. I am Hungarian and have nothing to do with the original post, but I found it funny, that you try to point out and kind of ridicule something that is obviously right.
That’s what Jennifer had just said, you cow. You misinterpreted her comment. I hadn’t seen the article when it was originally published, however it may have been edited to read “quite”, the correct word in that case, rather than “quiet.” topkek
Please give an example of “furthest” used as a verb.
I think the author meant “further” as a verb.
Just wondering if you could expand upon how exactly “farthest” is the comparative degree of “far”, because in my eyes “farther” would be the comparative degree whilst “farthest” would in fact be the superlative degree.
Thanks 🙂
Interesting. It clearly delineated between the two word and gave grammatical explanations and examples. Well done.
ROB: You are full of BULL