Far vs Remote

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Far

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adverb

Remote

Top 5,000 (fairly common) B1 adjective

Most common: Far

	Far	Remote
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/fɑː(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/fɑːr/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈməʊt/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈməʊt/"]/
Meaning	A long distance away.	Far away or not near.
Example	I live far from the city center.	She works from a remote location, enjoying the freedom of her job.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR level	A1	B1
Part of speech	adverb	adjective
Collocations	far away, far from, go far, far better, far too	appear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, from, appear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, from, appear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, from, appear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, from
Antonyms	near, close	near, close, local
Common mistakes	Confusing 'farther' with 'further' — 'farther' for physical distance, 'further' for metaphorical., Incorrectly using 'far' instead of 'farther' when referring to distance., Saying 'more far' instead of 'farther' or just 'far'.	Confused with 'remotely' which has a different grammatical use., Using 'remotes' as a plural, when 'remote' is often uncountable in this context.
Usage notes	Used to describe distance, whether physical or figurative. In informal contexts, it can also emphasize comparisons. Avoid in very formal writing.	Use 'remote' to describe something that is far away in distance or time. It's suitable in both written and spoken contexts. Avoid informal situations where a more direct term might be preferred.

See it in real clips

far, far away from here.

Agent Carter › S1 E1

Far from it.

Agatha Christies Poirot › S1 E1

as far as I can see.

far, far away from here.

Agent Carter › S1 E1

Far from it.

Far

Frequently asked questions: Far vs Remote

What's the difference between Far and Remote?

Far: A long distance away. Remote: Far away or not near.

Which is more common: Far and Remote?

Far is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Far and Remote?

Remote is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Far and Remote the same CEFR level?

Far: A1, Remote: B1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Far and Remote?

Far: adverb, Remote: adjective.

Can you show an example of each?

Far: I live far from the city center. Remote: She works from a remote location, enjoying the freedom of her job.

Can I use Far and Remote interchangeably?

Not always. Far and Remote are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.