afield

adverb or adjective

ə-ˈfēld 

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

Synonyms of afield

• wrong
• astray
• awry

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

Further afield, Winchester and its glorious cathedral is a 20-minute drive away. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 2026

Lifelike mounts will always be more popular for preserving special experiences afield, because an animal’s visible beauty and character are showcased by skin, not skeleton. —Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026

Further afield are the slopes themselves. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2026

To critics who say her advocacy has taken her far afield of nuts-and-bolts council work like balancing the city budget or advocating for streets riddled with potholes, Kim says just the opposite. —Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for afield

• airfield
• annealed
• appealed
• brownfield
• coalfield
• concealed
• congealed
• cornfield
• downfield
• goldfield
• hayfield
• infield

Kids Definition

afield

adverb

ə-ˈfēld 

1

: to, in, or on the field

2

: away from home

3

: out of a regular, planned, or proper course : astray