THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
A far cry from
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
Very different from something else.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- Our quiet village is a far cry from the busy city where I used to live.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
Our quiet village is ________ the busy city where I used to live.
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A far cry from — Very different from something else.
Try your own sentence (optional)
Make it yours
Write one sentence using “A far cry from” about your own life.
Check your sentence
Does your sentence match this meaning?
Very different from something else.
Compare: Our quiet village is a far cry from the busy city where I used to live.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use it to compare two situations, places or experiences with a large difference between them. It suits conversation and general writing.
More examples in context
- The finished garden is a far cry from the bare patch we started with.
- Working with a full team is a far cry from running everything alone.
Usage note
Follow from with the thing you are comparing against. The difference can be better or worse; the expression itself does not decide which.
A short conversation
A: Is the new office like the old one?
B: It is a far cry from it. We finally have natural light and space to move.
A: That sounds like a welcome change.
One more practice question
What does “The new system is a far cry from the old one” tell us?
A. The two systems are very different.
B. The two systems are almost identical.
Check your answer
A. The phrase highlights a large difference without by itself saying which is better.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.