afield

adverb or adjective

Synonyms of afieldnext
1
: to, in, or on the field
was weak at bat but strong afield
2
: away from home : abroad
3
: out of the way : astray
irrelevant remarks that carried us far afield

Examples of afield in a Sentence

how did we get so far afield from the subject we intended to discuss?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To take pride in his origins, or at least to arrive at the vaguely poignant (and jarringly upbeat) endpoint where Balagov leaves him at the end of this story, Temir will have to spread his wings even further afield of the Circassian community. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 13 May 2026 Further afield, on a small island across the lagoon, stands a remarkable addition to Venice. Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 9 May 2026 But host Kristen Kish is licking her lips at the prospect of taking the show even further afield in the future. Peter White, Deadline, 4 May 2026 While most of the bottles are from Catalonia, there are also options from further afield, including the rest of Spain and France. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for afield

Word History

Etymology

Middle English afelde, going back to Old English on felda, on felde, from on on entry 1 + felda, felde, dative of feld field entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of afield was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Afield.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afield. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

afield

adverb
1
: to, in, or on the field
2
: away from home
3
: out of a regular, planned, or proper course : astray
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster