What does "further" mean?
To help forward; to assist.
Further
/ˈfɜː.ðə/ adj, adv, verb
adj, adv, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To help forward; to assist.
- Grammar: further is listed as adj, adv, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abet, above, accessory, added.
- Useful contrasts: farther, basic, closer.
- Usage evidence: You will find it stated a few pages further on.
How to use "further"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "further" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "further" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "further" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "further" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "further" is acting as adj, adv, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abet" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "further", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To help forward; to assist. transitive
"In happie houre we haue ſet the Crowne Upon your Kingly head, that ſeeks our honor, In ioyning with the man, ordain’d by heauen To further euerie action to the beſt."
- 2 promote the growth of wordnet
- 3 To encourage growth; to support progress or growth of something; to promote. transitive
"Further the economy."
- 4 contribute to the progress or growth of wordnet
Adjective
- 1 More distant; relatively distant. not-comparable
"See those two lampposts? Run to the further one."
- 2 More, additional. not-comparable
"I have one further comment to make."
Adjective
- 1 more distant in especially degree wordnet
Adverb
- 1 To, at or over a greater distance in space, time or other extent. not-comparable
"I can run further than you."
- 2 To a greater extent or degree. not-comparable
"Of the two civilisations, this one was further advanced."
- 3 Beyond what is already stated or is already the case. not-comparable
"Chapter 10 further explains the ideas introduced in Chapter 9."
- 4 Also; in addition; furthermore; moreover. conjunctive, not-comparable
"It is overlong, and further, it makes no sense."
- 5 Following on (from). not-comparable
"Further to our recent telephone call, I am writing to clarify certain points raised."
Adverb
- 1 to or at a greater distance in time or space (‘farther’ is used more frequently than ‘further’ in this physical sense) wordnet
- 2 to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (‘further’ is used more often than ‘farther’ in this abstract sense) wordnet
- 3 in addition or furthermore wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"You will find it stated a few pages further on."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "further"?
Common synonyms include: abet, above, accessory, added, adding, addition.
How do you use "further" in a sentence?
You will find it stated a few pages further on.
How do you pronounce "further"?
Pronounced /ˈfɜː.ðə/.
Etymology
From Middle English further, forther, from Old English forþor, furþor (“further”, adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *furþer, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (a common preposition), equivalent to fore + -ther (a vestigial comparative ending still present in such words as other, either, whether, and, in altered form, in after); or as sometimes stated, as forth + -er. Cognate with Scots forder, furder (“further”), Saterland Frisian foarder (“further”), West Frisian fierder (“further”), Dutch verder (“further”), German fürder (“further”).