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Glite Dictionary
to go far

to go far

54 3.2
To become very successful or important in a career
  • phrasal verb
  • /ɡoʊ fɑr/
: llegar lejos
  • If you work hard and stay focused, you will go far in your career.
  • effort will go far
  • go far to explain

Like, yo, if you really believe in this man and you think he can go far, great, be his friend.

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Examples

  • Like, yo, if you really believe in this man and you think he can go far, great, be his friend.

    Stephan Speaks

  • Mother always said I would go far with my quick wits and good looks.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • If you want to go far, be a part of a group.

  • And I think, without trust, you cannot go far in this business.

    Kipchoge: The Last Milestone (2021)

  • With a few sacrifices, you could go far.

    Lovesick (1983)

  • In this town, you can't go far without someone seeing you.

    If You're Gone (2019)

  • You'll go far, if you live.

    Dirty Harry (1971)

  • So if I keep doing that, I'm sure I'm sure I'll, I'll go far and do well for the team.

    Rio Ferdinand Presents

  • However, a dialogue between the two disciplines could go far in addressing such questions.

    Academic text (1995)

  • I'm telling you, you're gonna go far.

    Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001)

Synonyms

to make it
vsto go far
  • Informal
540 3.4

To become very successful in a job or career

focuses more on gaining prominence and broad influence beyond personal success
to go a long way
vsto go far
86 3.2

To help a lot or make something much better

means achieving great success and prominence rather than just helping progress
to make it big
vsto go far
  • Informal
26 4.1

Become very successful in a job or career

aims more at lasting prominence and wide influence beyond a big win
to go places
vsto go far
  • Informal
19 3.7

Become successful or important in life

aims more at achieving wide influence and strong lasting impact
to hit it big
vsto go far
  • Informal
9 5.1

To become very successful, often quickly

refers more to long term influence and prominence rather than a sudden win
to hit a home run
vsto go far
  • Informal
9 3.4

To have a big success people do not expect

implies wider prominence and lasting influence rather than a single spectacular success
to hit the big time
vsto go far
  • Informal
8 4.5

To become very successful and famous in your work

means achieving broad influence and lasting prominence beyond single recognition

Antonyms

to fail
∞ 1.0

Not succeed in doing something you wanted to do

to fall short
91 3.9

Fail to reach the level people expect

How Successful

to go far
54 3.2
to do well
∞ 1.2
to get by
128 3.1

Surface Forms

go far infinitive
went far past
gone far past participle
going far present participle
goes far third person singular

Morphology

go + far

The literal meanings of 'go' (move/advance) and 'far' (a long distance) combine via a common spatial-to-abstract metaphor to yield 'achieve a lot' or 'succeed', so learners can often infer the general sense. However, the career/success reading is a figurative extension rather than a strictly compositional meaning, so comprehension is probable but not fully guaranteed for an unexposed B1 learner.

Etymology

Go far comes from the simple picture of traveling a long distance; if you go far you reach new places and new chances. That's why it now means 'to achieve great success'.