Far vs. Long — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 16, 2024
"Far" pertains to physical distance, while "long" relates to distance or duration, applicable to both space and time.
Difference Between Far and Long
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Far" is primarily used to describe the extent of physical separation between two points in space, emphasizing the spatial distance. It is often used in questions and statements about travel or the location of objects and places, highlighting the considerable gap or remoteness. "Long," on the other hand, can describe both spatial extension from end to end and temporal duration. When referring to distance, it emphasizes the length of an object or path. In terms of time, it denotes the extent or duration of an event or period.
In spatial contexts, "far" is used in expressions like "far away" or "how far" to discuss the reach or distance one must travel to get from one location to another. "Long" is used to describe the measurement of an object or distance from one end to the other, as in "a long road" or "a long table."
In temporal contexts, "long" is employed to discuss durations, such as "a long time" or "how long will it take?" This usage highlights the extension of time from start to finish, often implying a considerable or notable period. "Far" is not typically used in temporal contexts.
The use of "far" often carries an implication of a significant distance, sometimes suggesting difficulty or inconvenience due to the separation. "Long" can imply a range of extents or durations, from moderately extended to very prolonged, and can convey a sense of endurance or patience when referring to time.
Despite their differences, both terms are used to convey the idea of extension, either in space or time (in the case of "long"), and can sometimes be used interchangeably in certain spatial contexts, though "far" is not used for time.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Use
Describing spatial distance
Describing spatial length or temporal duration
Contexts
Travel, location, physical separation
Measurements, duration, physical dimensions
Temporal Use
Not typically used for time
Commonly used to describe durations
Implication
Significant distance, possibly with difficulty
Extended length or duration, possibly needing endurance
Example Spatial Use
"How far is it to the nearest town?"
"The bridge is a mile long."
Example Temporal Use
Not applicable
"It's been a long time since we last met."
Compare with Definitions
Far
To a considerable degree; very much.
His interpretation is far from the truth.
Long
Measuring a great distance from end to end.
They walked along a long corridor.
Far
At, to, or by a great distance (used to indicate the extent to which one thing is distant from another).
The lighthouse could be seen far in the distance.
Long
Lasting or taking a great amount of time.
The meeting was much longer than expected.
Far
Far can also indicate the extent of a range or scope.
The influence of the discovery reached far beyond what was initially anticipated.
Long
Long can also imply a desire or wish for something.
She longed to visit her family.
Far
To, from, or at a considerable distance
A cat that had strayed far from home.
Long
The term can be used to express the extent or degree of something.
The list of requirements was long and detailed.
Far
To, from, or at a much earlier or later time
A movie that takes place far in the future.
Long
In finance, "long" refers to owning or holding an asset.
He's been long on that stock for years.
Far
To a considerable degree; much
Felt far better yesterday.
Eyes that seemed far too close together.
Long
Extending or traveling a relatively great distance.
Far
To an advanced point or stage
A brilliant student who will go far.
Long
Having relatively great height; tall.
Far
Being at considerable distance; remote
A far country.
Long
Having the greater length of two or the greatest length of several
The long edge of the door.
Far
Going back a considerable extent in time
The far past.
Long
Of relatively great duration
A long time.
Far
More distant than another
The far corner.
Long
Of a specified linear extent or duration
A mile long.
An hour long.
Far
Extensive or lengthy
A far trek.
Long
Made up of many members or items
A long shopping list.
Far
Far-seeing and comprehensive in thought or outlook
A commander of far vision.
Long
Extending beyond an average or standard
A long game.
Far
Marked by political views of the most advanced or extreme nature
The far right.
The far left.
Long
Extending or landing beyond a given boundary, limit, or goal
Her first serve was long.
Far
Being on the right side of an animal or a vehicle.
Long
Tediously protracted; lengthy
A long speech.
Far
Being the animal or vehicle on the right.
Long
Concerned with distant issues; far-reaching
Took a long view of the geopolitical issues.
Far
Distant; remote in space.
He went to a far land.
Long
Involving substantial chance; risky
Long odds.
Far
Remote in time.
The far future
Long
Having an abundance or excess of
"politicians whose résumés are long on competence" (Margaret Garrard Warner).
Far
Long. en
Long
Having a holding of a commodity or security in expectation of a rise in price
Long on soybeans.
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.
Long
(Linguistics) Having a comparatively great duration. Used of a vowel or consonant.
Far
Extreme, as measured from some central or neutral position.
They are on the far right on this issue.
Long
(Grammar) Relating to or being the English speech sounds (ā, ē, ī, ō, ) that are tense vowels or diphthongs.
Far
Extreme, as a difference in nature or quality.
Long
Being of relatively great duration. Used of a syllable in quantitative prosody.
Far
Outside the currently selected segment in a segmented memory architecture.
Far heap; far memory; far pointer
Long
During or for an extended period of time
The promotion was long due.
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.
Long
At or to a considerable distance; far
She walked long past the end of the trail.
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.
Long
Beyond a given boundary, limit, or goal
Hit the return long.
Far
To send far away.
Long
For or throughout a specified period
They talked all night long.
Far
Spelt (a type of wheat, Triticum spelta), especially in the context of Roman use of it.
Long
At a point of time distant from that referred to
That event took place long before we were born.
Far
A young pig, or a litter of pigs.
Long
Into or in a long position, as of a commodity market.
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.
Long
A long time
This won't take long.
Far
Remote from purpose; contrary to design or wishes; as, far be it from me to justify cruelty.
Long
(Linguistics) A long syllable, vowel, or consonant.
Far
Remote in affection or obedience; at a distance, morally or spiritually; t enmity with; alienated.
They that are far from thee ahsll perish.
Long
One who acquires holdings in a security or commodity in expectation of a rise in price.
Far
Widely different in nature or quality; opposite in character.
He was far from ill looking, though he thought himself still farther.
Long
A garment size for a tall person.
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.
Long
Longs Trousers extending to the feet or ankles.
Far
To a great extent or distance of space; widely; as, we are separated far from each other.
Long
To have an earnest, heartfelt desire, especially for something beyond reach.
Far
To a great distance in time from any point; remotely; as, he pushed his researches far into antiquity.
Long
Having much distance from one terminating point on an object or an area to another terminating point usually applies to horizontal dimensions; see Usage Notes below.
It's a long way from the Earth to the Moon.
How long was your newborn baby?
Far
In great part; as, the day is far spent.
Long
Having great duration.
The pyramids of Egypt have been around for a long time.
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.
Long
Seemingly lasting a lot of time, because it is boring or tedious or tiring.
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
Long
Not short; tall.
Far
Being of a considerable distance or length;
A far trek
Long
(finance) Possessing or owning stocks, bonds, commodities or other financial instruments with the aim of benefiting of the expected rise in their value.
I'm long in DuPont.
I have a long position in DuPont.
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
Long
(cricket) Of a fielding position, close to the boundary (or closer to the boundary than the equivalent short position).
Far
Beyond a norm in opinion or actions;
The far right
Long
Landing beyond the baseline, and therefore deemed to be out.
That forehand is long.
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
Long
(gambling) Of betting odds, offering a very large return for a small wager.
Far
At or to or from a great distance in space;
He traveled far
Strayed far from home
Sat far away from each other
Long
Occurring or coming after an extended interval; distant in time; far 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?
Long
(archaic) On account of, because of.
Far
Remote in time;
If we could see far into the future
All that happened far in the past
Long
(linguistics) A long vowel.
Far
To an advanced stage or point;
A young man who will go very far
Long
(prosody) A long syllable.
Long
(music) A note formerly used in music, one half the length of a large, twice that of a breve.
Long
(programming) A long integer variable, twice the size of an int, two or four times the size of a short, and half of a long long.
A long is typically 64 bits in a 32-bit environment.
Long
(finance) An entity with a long position in an asset.
Every uptick made the longs cheer.
Long
(finance) A long-term investment.
Long
The long summer vacation at the English universities.
Long
Longitude
Long
To take a long position in.
Long
(intransitive) To await, aspire, desire greatly (something to occur or to be true).
She longed for him to come back.
Long
(archaic) To be appropriate to, to pertain or belong to.
Long
(obsolete) To belong.
Long
Over a great distance in space.
He threw the ball long.
Long
For a particular duration.
How long is it until the next bus arrives?
Long
For a long duration.
Will this interview take long?
Paris has long been considered one of the most cultured cities in the world.
She has known us as long as you
I haven't long to live.
Long
Drawn out in a line, or in the direction of length; protracted; extended; as, a long line; - opposed to short, and distinguished from broad or wide.
Long
Drawn out or extended in time; continued through a considerable tine, or to a great length; as, a long series of events; a long debate; a long drama; a long history; a long book.
Long
Slow in passing; causing weariness by length or duration; lingering; as, long hours of watching.
Long
Occurring or coming after an extended interval; distant in time; far away.
The we may us reserve both fresh and strongAgainst the tournament, which is not long.
Long
Having a length of the specified measure; of a specified length; as, a span long; a yard long; a mile long, that is, extended to the measure of a mile, etc.
Long
Far-reaching; extensive.
Long
Having a supply of stocks or goods; prepared for, or depending for a profit upon, advance in prices; as, long of cotton. Hence, the phrases: to be, or go, long of the market, to be on the long side of the market, to hold products or securities for a rise in price, esp. when bought on a margin. Contrasted to short.
Long
A note formerly used in music, one half the length of a large, twice that of a breve.
Long
A long sound, syllable, or vowel.
Long
The longest dimension; the greatest extent; - in the phrase, the long and the short of it, that is, the sum and substance of it.
Long
To a great extent in space; as, a long drawn out line.
Long
To a great extent in time; during a long time.
They that tarry long at the wine.
When the trumpet soundeth long.
Long
At a point of duration far distant, either prior or posterior; as, not long before; not long after; long before the foundation of Rome; long after the Conquest.
Long
Through the whole extent or duration.
The bird of dawning singeth all night long.
Long
Through an extent of time, more or less; - only in question; as, how long will you be gone?
Long
By means of; by the fault of; because of.
Long
To feel a strong or morbid desire or craving; to wish for something with eagerness; - followed by an infinitive, or by for or after.
I long to see you.
I have longed after thy precepts.
I have longed for thy salvation.
Nicomedes, longing for herrings, was supplied with fresh ones . . . at a great distance from the sea.
Long
To belong; - used with to, unto, or for.
The labor which that longeth unto me.
Long
A comparatively long time;
This won't take long
They haven't been gone long
Long
Desire strongly or persistently
Long
Primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified;
A long life
A long boring speech
A long time
A long friendship
A long game
Long ago
An hour long
Long
Primarily spatial sense; of relatively great or greater than average spatial extension or extension as specified;
A long road
A long distance
Contained many long words
Ten miles long
Long
Of relatively great height;
A race of long gaunt men
Looked out the long French windows
Long
Holding securities or commodities in expectation of a rise in prices;
Is long on coffee
A long position in gold
Long
Of speech sounds (especially vowels) of relatively long duration (as e.g. the English vowel sounds in `bate', `beat', `bite', `boat', `boot')
Long
Used of syllables that are unaccented or of relatively long duration
Long
Involving substantial risk;
Long odds
Long
(of memory) having greater than average range;
A long memory especially for insults
A tenacious memory
Long
Planning prudently for the future;
Large goals that required farsighted policies
Took a long view of the geopolitical issues
Long
Having or being more than normal or necessary:
Long on brains
In long supply
Long
For an extended time or at a distant time;
A promotion long overdue
Something long hoped for
His name has long been forgotten
Talked all night long
How long will you be gone?
Arrived long before he was expected
It is long after your bedtime
Long
For an extended distance
Common Curiosities
Can "far" be used to describe time?
"Far" is generally not used for temporal descriptions; it's more associated with physical distances.
How do "far" and "long" compare in terms of difficulty?
"Far" might imply a challenging or inconvenient distance, while "long" can suggest endurance or patience, especially regarding time.
Is "long" always indicative of a large amount?
While "long" often suggests a significant extent or duration, its degree can vary based on context.
Can "long" be used in both positive and negative contexts?
Yes, "long" can have positive connotations (e.g., a long-awaited vacation) or negative ones (e.g., a long and tiring journey).
How do cultural perceptions of "far" and "long" differ?
Perceptions can vary based on cultural contexts, with some cultures having higher tolerance for what constitutes "far" distances or "long" durations.
Do "far" and "long" have synonyms with similar implications?
Yes, synonyms include "distant" and "remote" for "far," and "lengthy" and "protracted" for "long," though nuances can vary.
How do "far" and "long" function in questions?
"Far" is used to inquire about distances (e.g., "How far is it?"), while "long" can ask about distances or durations (e.g., "How long is the road?" or "How long will it take?").
Can "long" refer to physical characteristics other than distance?
Yes, "long" can describe physical attributes, such as "long hair" or "long nails," emphasizing length.
How do advancements in technology affect perceptions of what is "far" or "long"?
Technology can shrink perceptions of distance and time, making what was once considered "far" or "long" seem more accessible or quicker.
Are there idiomatic expressions that use "far" and "long"?
Yes, both terms are used in idioms: "far" in phrases like "far and wide" and "long" in expressions like "in the long run."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
