“Few and Far Between” vs. “Far Between”: What’s the Difference?

A line illustration of two people with their mouth open, and a giant question mark between them.

The difference between “few and far between” and “far between”

  • "Few and far between" is an idiomatic expression used to describe something that is scarce, rare, or infrequent.
  • On the other hand, "far between" without the word "few" is less commonly used as a standalone phrase.
Communicate naturally with Engram AI proofreader

What is the definition of “few and far between” and “far between”?

Few and far between
  • "Few and far between" is an idiomatic expression used to describe something that is scarce, rare, or infrequent.
  • It suggests that the occurrences or instances of something are widely spaced apart, with considerable gaps between them.
Far between
  • "Far between" without the word "few" is less commonly used as a standalone phrase.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Far between” is the more popular variant on the web.
Few and far between
13,400,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. Opportunities for career advancement are few and far between in this company.
  2. Quality restaurants in this area are few and far between.
  3. True friends are few and far between, so cherish them when you find them.
More popular
Far between
19,900,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. "Far between" without the word "few" is less commonly used as a standalone phrase.
Want to express yourself confidently?
Engram AI proofreader helps you
communicate naturally
An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.

Related articles