Away vs. Far — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 30, 2024
"Away" emphasizes direction or movement from a starting point, often indicating absence, while "far" focuses on a substantial distance from a point of reference.
Difference Between Away and Far
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Away" is used to describe movement or distance from a specific location, emphasizing departure. On the other hand, "far" describes a greater, often more abstract distance, and is relative.
In the context of physical space, "away" can imply a temporary condition, such as stepping away from a desk. Whereas "far" often indicates a more significant or permanent spatial separation.
"Away" is versatile, also functioning in phrases like "right away" to denote immediacy. Conversely, "far" is commonly paired with comparatives like "farther" or "farthest" to denote degrees of separation.
When expressing emotional or metaphorical distance, "away" can suggest disconnection, as in "miles away" even when physically present. In contrast, "far" can denote a vast emotional gap without implications of movement.
In sports, "away" typically refers to teams or games played in a location not home to the team, highlighting the aspect of being in a different place. On the other hand, "far" could describe anything from a ball thrown a long distance to a field described as far-flung.
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Comparison Chart
Basic Use
Denotes direction or movement from a point
Indicates substantial distance from a point
Contextual Use
Can signify immediacy or near-future action (e.g., go away)
Often used comparatively (e.g., farther, farthest)
Emotional Connotation
Can imply emotional or physical disconnection
Typically indicates a large or significant gap
Sports Terminology
Used to describe teams playing not at their home location
Describes significant distances within the play area
Example Phrases
"Away from the noise," "passed away"
"Far away lands," "as far as the eye can see"
Compare with Definitions
Away
Departing from a place.
She walked away from the meeting.
Far
At, to, or by a great distance.
He lives far from the city.
Away
Into an appropriate place for storage.
Put the toys away.
Far
At the most extreme or outermost point.
The far end of the field.
Away
Out of existence.
The magician made the coin disappear away.
Far
To a considerable degree; very much.
His idea is far better than mine.
Away
At a distance from a particular place or person.
He stayed away from home.
Far
To a distant time.
A technology that seems far into the future.
Away
Absent from a place.
She is away on vacation.
Far
Extending a long way.
We walked a far stretch of the beach.
Away
From a particular thing or place
Ran away from the lion.
Sent the children away to boarding school.
Far
To, from, or at a considerable distance
A cat that had strayed far from home.
Away
At or to a distance in space or time
We live a block away from the park.
Far
To, from, or at a much earlier or later time
A movie that takes place far in the future.
Away
At or by a considerable interval
Away back in the 17th century.
Away off on the horizon.
Far
To a considerable degree; much
Felt far better yesterday.
Eyes that seemed far too close together.
Away
In a different direction; aside
Glanced away.
Far
To an advanced point or stage
A brilliant student who will go far.
Away
On the way
We want to get away early in the day.
Far
Being at considerable distance; remote
A far country.
Away
In or into storage or safekeeping
Put the toys away.
Jewels locked away in a safe.
Far
Going back a considerable extent in time
The far past.
Away
Out of existence or notice
The music faded away.
Far
More distant than another
The far corner.
Away
So as to remove, separate, or eliminate
Chipped the paint away.
Cleared away the debris.
Far
Extensive or lengthy
A far trek.
Away
From one's possession
Gave the tickets away.
Far
Far-seeing and comprehensive in thought or outlook
A commander of far vision.
Away
Continuously; steadily
Toiled away at the project for more than a year.
Far
Marked by political views of the most advanced or extreme nature
The far right.
The far left.
Away
Freely; at will
Fire away!.
Far
Being on the right side of an animal or a vehicle.
Away
Absent
The neighbors are away.
Far
Being the animal or vehicle on the right.
Away
Distant, as in space or time
The city is miles away. The game was still a week away.
Far
Distant; remote in space.
He went to a far land.
Away
Played on an opponent's field or grounds
An away game.
Far
Remote in time.
The far future
Away
In golf, having the ball lying farthest from the hole and properly playing first among competitors.
Far
Long. en
Away
(Baseball) Out
Bases loaded, with two away.
Far
More remote of two.
See those two mountains? The ogre lives on the far one.
He moved to the far end of the state. She remained at this end.
Away
From a place, hence.
He went away on vacation.
Far
Extreme, as measured from some central or neutral position.
They are on the far right on this issue.
Away
Aside; off; in another direction.
I tried to approach him, but he turned away.
Far
Extreme, as a difference in nature or quality.
Away
Aside, so as to discard something.
Throw away, chuck away, toss away
Far
Outside the currently selected segment in a segmented memory architecture.
Far heap; far memory; far pointer
Away
At a stated distance in time or space.
Christmas is only two weeks away.
Far
To, from or over a great distance in space, time or other extent.
You have all come far and you will go farther.
He built a time machine and travelled far into the future.
Over time, his views moved far away from mine.
Away
In or to something's usual or proper storage place.
I'll dry the dishes and you put them away.
Please file away these documents.
Far
Very much; by a great amount.
He was far richer than we'd thought.
The expense far exceeds what I expected.
I saw a tiny figure far below me.
Away
In or to a secure or out-of-the-way place.
The jewels were locked away in the safe.
He was shut away in the castle tower for six months.
Far
To send far away.
Away
From a state or condition of being; out of existence.
Fade away, die away
Far
Spelt (a type of wheat, Triticum spelta), especially in the context of Roman use of it.
Away
So as to remove or use up something.
The weather has worn away the inscription, and it is no longer legible.
Please wipe away this spilled drink.
That's where tourists go to hear great Cuban bands and dance the night away.
Far
A young pig, or a litter of pigs.
Away
Come away; go away; take away.
Away! Be gone! And don't let me see you round here again!
Far
Distant in any direction; not near; remote; mutually separated by a wide space or extent.
They said, . . . We be come from a far country.
The nations far and near contend in choice.
Away
On; in continuance; without intermission or delay.
She's been in her room all day, working away at her computer.
Far
Remote from purpose; contrary to design or wishes; as, far be it from me to justify cruelty.
Away
Without restraint.
You've got questions? Ask away!
I saw her whaling away at her detractors.
Far
Remote in affection or obedience; at a distance, morally or spiritually; t enmity with; alienated.
They that are far from thee ahsll perish.
Away
(Northern England) come on!; go on!
Far
Widely different in nature or quality; opposite in character.
He was far from ill looking, though he thought himself still farther.
Away
Not here, gone, absent, unavailable, traveling; on vacation.
The master is away from home.
Would you pick up my mail while I'm away.
Far
The more distant of two; as, the far side (called also off side) of a horse, that is, the right side, or the one opposite to the rider when he mounts.
Away
At a specified distance in space, time, or figuratively.
He's miles away by now.
Spring is still a month away.
Far
To a great extent or distance of space; widely; as, we are separated far from each other.
Away
Not on one's home territory.
Next, they are playing away in Dallas.
Far
To a great distance in time from any point; remotely; as, he pushed his researches far into antiquity.
Away
Out.
Two men away in the bottom of the ninth.
Far
In great part; as, the day is far spent.
Away
(golf) Being the player whose ball lies farthest from the hole (or, in disc golf, whose disc lies farthest from the target).
Far
In a great proportion; by many degrees; very much; deeply; greatly.
Who can find a virtuous woman ? for her price is far above rubies.
Away
To depart; to go to another place.
At 9 o'clock sharp he awayed to bed.
Far
A terrorist organization that seeks to overthrow the government dominated by Tutsi and to reinstitute Hutu control;
In 1999 ALIR guerrillas kidnapped and killed eight foreign tourists
Away
From a place; hence.
The sound is going away.
Have me away, for I am sore wounded.
Far
At a great distance in time or space or degree;
We come from a far country
Far corners of the earth
The far future
A far journey
The far side of the road
Far from the truth
Far in the future
Away
Absent; gone; at a distance; as, the master is away from home.
Far
Being of a considerable distance or length;
A far trek
Away
Aside; off; in another direction.
The axis of rotation is inclined away from the sun.
Far
Being the animal or vehicle on the right or being on the right side of an animal or vehicle;
The horse on the right is the far horse
The right side is the far side of the horse
Away
From a state or condition of being; out of existence.
Be near me when I fade away.
Far
Beyond a norm in opinion or actions;
The far right
Away
By ellipsis of the verb, equivalent to an imperative: Go or come away; begone; take away.
And the Lord said . . . Away, get thee down.
Far
To a considerable degree; very much;
A far far better thing that I do
Felt far worse than yesterday
Eyes far too close together
Away
On; in continuance; without intermission or delay; as, sing away.
Far
At or to or from a great distance in space;
He traveled far
Strayed far from home
Sat far away from each other
Away
Distant in either space or time;
The town is a mile away
A country far away
The game is a week away
Far
At or to a certain point or degree;
I can only go so far before I have to give up
How far can we get with this kind of argument?
Away
Not present; having left;
He's away right now
You must not allow a stranger into the house when your mother is away
Everyone is gone now
The departed guests
Far
Remote in time;
If we could see far into the future
All that happened far in the past
Away
Used of an opponent's ground;
An away game
Far
To an advanced stage or point;
A young man who will go very far
Away
(of a baseball pitch) on the far side of home plate from the batter;
The pitch was away (or wide)
An outside pitch
Away
From a particular thing or place or position (`forth' is obsolete);
Ran away from the lion
Wanted to get away from there
Sent the children away to boarding school
The teacher waved the children away from the dead animal
Went off to school
They drove off
Go forth and preach
Away
From one's possession;
He gave out money to the poor
Gave away the tickets
Away
Out of the way (especially away from one's thoughts);
Brush the objections aside
Pushed all doubts away
Away
Out of existence;
The music faded away
Tried to explain away the affair of the letter
Idled the hours away
Her fingernails were worn away
Away
At a distance in space or time;
The boat was 5 miles off (or away)
The party is still 2 weeks off (or away)
Away back in the 18th century
Away
Indicating continuing action; continuously or steadily;
He worked away at the project for more than a year
The child kept hammering away as if his life depended on it
Away
So as to be removed or gotten rid of;
Cleared the mess away
The rotted wood had to be cut away
Away
Freely or at will;
Fire away!
Away
In or into a proper place (especially for storage or safekeeping);
Put the toys away
Her jewels are locked away in a safe
Filed the letter away
Away
In a different direction;
Turn aside
Turn away one's face
Glanced away
Away
In reserve; not for immediate use;
Started setting aside money to buy a car
Put something by for her old age
Has a nestegg tucked away for a rainy day
Common Curiosities
Is "away" typically used in positive or negative contexts?
"Away" can be used in both positive and negative contexts depending on the situation or emotional tone conveyed.
Can "far" imply a quality of being unreachable or difficult to attain?
Yes, "far" can imply that something is unreachable, difficult to attain, or requires significant effort to achieve.
In what scenarios is "far" commonly used in daily conversation?
"Far" is commonly used to discuss geographical distances, the extent of differences in comparisons, or to describe efforts and achievements as in "far-reaching effects."
Does the usage of "away" in digital communications carry a different connotation?
In digital communications, "away" often signifies unavailability or inactive status, as in status messages like "away from keyboard."
What literary uses are common for "far"?
In literature, "far" is often used to create imagery of vast landscapes, distant lands, or to emphasize the degree of extremity in a situation.
How is "far" used to express surprise or disbelief?
"Far" can be used in expressions like "far from it" to indicate disbelief or disagreement with a preceding statement or assumption.
What is the implication of "far away" when combined?
"Far away" combines both terms to emphasize a significant distance, often suggesting a place that is both distant and separated by space or time.
How does "away" interact with time-sensitive situations?
"Away" can refer to taking immediate action or needing something done promptly, as in "right away."
Can "away" be used figuratively, and if so, how?
Yes, "away" can be used figuratively to describe someone being mentally or emotionally distant, even when physically present.
How does "away" enhance the urgency of a command?
"Away" can enhance the urgency of a command by indicating that action should be taken immediately or swiftly, as in "fire away."
How does the use of "far" in marketing differ from everyday usage?
In marketing, "far" might be used to emphasize the superior performance or reach of a product, like "far more effective."
In what contexts might "far" indicate a scope beyond the usual or expected?
"Far" is often used to discuss concepts or scenarios that extend beyond typical boundaries, such as "far-reaching implications."
How do the physical and metaphorical uses of "far" intersect in communication?
In communication, "far" can describe not only physical distances but also the extent of differences in opinions or experiences, bridging its physical and metaphorical uses.
What is the role of "away" in conveying exclusion or avoidance?
"Away" can convey exclusion or avoidance, as in phrases like "keep away" or "stay away," which suggest distance for safety or privacy.
What common expressions use "away" to indicate cessation or ending?
Expressions like "fade away" or "waste away" use "away" to denote gradual reduction until an end.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
