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

• 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

As demand for spirits like tequila and mezcal continues to grow, some enthusiasts are looking further afield for distinctive, artisanal Mexican products such as heirloom corn whiskey, gin, and less-familiar agave products like raicilla and bacanora. —Ryan Craggs, Travel + Leisure, 12 Aug. 2025

Wholesale partners like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's are supplemented with ones further afield such as Galeries Lafayette Dubai. —Gemma A. Williams, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

For the survivors, investigations resulting in prison time for five circus employees, settlements paid to victims and their families, and new fire safety regulations both in Hartford and further afield couldn’t erase the images of that day, seared into their memories. —Jordan Friedman, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2025

His fiction is set all over the place—genteel backwaters like Miami, Hollywood, and Atlantic City, with excursions as far afield as the Dominican Republic, Italy, and Israel. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

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