further 1 of 3

adverb

ˈfər-t͟hər How to pronounce further (audio)
Definition of furthernext
1
as in farther
at or to a greater distance or more advanced point go further along this road and you'll see the sign for the highway

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in then
in addition to what has been said I'll say nothing further at this time

Synonyms & Similar Words

further

2 of 3

adjective

as in more
resulting in an increase in amount or number I think further research is needed before we can say whether that treatment is safe or not

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

further

3 of 3

verb

as in to encourage
to help the growth or development of she worked hard to further her operatic career

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb further contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of further are advance, forward, and promote. While all these words mean "to help (someone or something) to move ahead," further suggests a removing of obstacles in the way of a desired advance.

used the marriage to further his career

In what contexts can advance take the place of further?

The words advance and further are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, advance stresses effective assisting in hastening a process or bringing about a desired end.

advance the cause of peace

When is forward a more appropriate choice than further?

The synonyms forward and further are sometimes interchangeable, but forward implies an impetus forcing something ahead.

a wage increase would forward productivity

When might promote be a better fit than further?

While the synonyms promote and further are close in meaning, promote suggests an encouraging or fostering and may denote an increase in status or rank.

a campaign to promote better health

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of further
Adverb
For statistical confirmation, look no further than a global survey that my company did of 2,000 CEOs. — Sanjay Brahmawar, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2023 For those who want a remote getaway with breathtaking beauty, look no further than this archipelago province of the Philippines. — Karla Pope, Good Housekeeping, 1 Feb. 2023
Adjective
Greenhouse gases had risen by about 12 ppm between 1750 and 1850, another 50 ppm by 1960, and a further 138 ppm by 2024. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026 Artificial intelligence and sophisticated data analytics may eventually help clinicians recognize patterns in imaging and other clinical information, identify people who warrant further evaluation, and improve diagnostic precision. — Bruce Bebo, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
Through paddle raises and a live auction, the evening raised roughly $3 million to further the fund’s mission. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026 The council urged the Muslim diaspora in America to accordingly develop its own lobbying infrastructure that will work to further the Palestinian cause. — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for further
Recent Examples of Synonyms for further
  1. farther
  2. then
  3. more
  4. encourage
  5. also
  6. additional
  7. promote
  8. either
Adverb
  • However, if temperatures fall farther than expected the amounts could increase, forecasters added.
    — Leigh Morgan, al, 11 Feb. 2023
  • The air and pressure distortions can be a bane to airplane pilots, who sometimes feel their planes gliding along farther than intended during landing.
    — Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 8 Feb. 2023
Definition of farther
Adverb
  • Machado then headed to Caracas with stops along the way as thousands of people joined the caravan or awaited it.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Until then, here are some photos from Sunday evening’s game in the Pacific Northwest.
    — Jeff Rosen, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of then
Adjective
  • While the Botanical Bliss ships compressed like all mattresses-in-a-box, setting it up required a bit more effort than expected.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The association with the Human Rights Campaign could create more confusion about Talarico’s stance on the medical issue, as his position has come into question through his inconsistent comments.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of more
Verb
  • Palestine Action founder Huda Ammori encouraged joining offshoot groups to circumvent the ban, the Telegraph reported.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Meta encourages its users to name their AIs—and encourages its AIs to think like humans.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of encourage
Adverb
  • Uganda also said all 60 contacts of Kenya's first patient, including border personnel, hotel staff and transport operators, completed 21 days of monitoring without symptoms and were released from follow-up.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Bolsonaro's campaign had also requested an extension, citing heavy rains that shut polling stations in the south, a right-wing stronghold.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of also
Adjective
  • The increase also reflects a few additional states that expanded their early voting opportunities and ones that made more of their data available since the last midterms.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Marlins would try to extend their top young players who are approaching their arbitration years — or are already in their arbitration years — potentially taking on some additional money early in multiyear contracts.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of additional
Verb
  • Chater doesn’t disagree, particularly as promoting the album has prompted more conversations about the subject.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Abe Flores, deputy director of Create CA, a nonprofit advocacy group that promotes arts education for California students, said the challenges SCUSD cited were not unique to the district.
    — Chaewon Chung Updated October 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of promote
Adverb
  • If the solution isn’t to migrate 70% of the web to a new programming language, then fixing its underlying problems – and all the other software problems in the world – would hardly be an easy fix, either.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Blitzes also haven’t bothered USC’s passing attack much, either.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of either

Browse Nearby Words

furs
further
furtherance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Further.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/further. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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