Library / English Dictionary

SO FAR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (adverb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time

Example:

the sun isn't up yet

Synonyms:

as yet; heretofore; hitherto; so far; thus far; til now; until now; up to now; yet

Classified under:

Adverbs

Sense 2

Meaning:

Used after a superlative

Example:

the largest drug bust yet

Synonyms:

so far; yet

Classified under:

Adverbs

Sense 3

Meaning:

To the degree or extent that

Example:

so far as it is reasonably practical he should practice restraint

Synonyms:

in so far; insofar; so far; to that degree; to that extent

Classified under:

Adverbs

Credits

 Context examples: 

So far went his understanding; and his vanity supplied a little additional soothing, in the Admiral's situation in life, which was just high enough, and not too high.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Mother and father both gone, and God seems so far away I can't find Him.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“Your experience is, so far as I know, perfectly unique,” said he.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I was so far in my reflections when, as I have said, a side light began to shine upon the subject from the laboratory table.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Hands, who was not so far up, was in consequence nearer to the ship and fell between me and the bulwarks.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Peggy is too small to see in images so far.

(Possible New Moon Forming Around Saturn, NASA)

In addition to Tir, two potential host cell-carried intimin receptors, beta1 integrin (ITGB1) and nucleolin (NCL), have so far been identified.

(Pathogenic Escherichia coli Infection Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

“But if this be indeed so,” asked Sir Nigel, “why is it that you have come with him so far through the forest?”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It seems he had been put there to keep the ground, and the major so far forgot himself as to say that I knew nothing of my duties.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

None of the ultra-diffuse galaxies discovered so far have been found to be lacking in dark matter.

(Dark Matter Goes Missing in Oddball Galaxy, NASA)