Thusfar vs thus far: which one is correct?

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The question of thusfar vs thus far has a straightforward answer: thus far is the correct form. "Thusfar" written as a single word does not appear in any standard dictionary, including Merriam-Webster or the Oxford English Dictionary. It's a spelling error driven by the way the phrase flows in speech, where the two words blur together so naturally that merging them onto the page feels logical. It isn't.

Why people write "thusfar" as one word

English has a habit of absorbing two-word phrases into single compounds over time. Words like "nonetheless," "however," and "moreover" all started as separate units. Writers familiar with that pattern sometimes assume "thus far" is heading the same direction. It isn't there yet, and according to current usage guides, it isn't heading there either.

The phrase is also spoken quickly. In natural conversation, "thus far" compresses into something that sounds nearly like a single syllable cluster, which nudges writers to render it as one word. This is the same mechanism behind errors like writing "afterall" instead of "after all": the spoken rhythm doesn't match the written convention.

Speed matters too. "Thusfar" is a very easy typo to produce without noticing. Autocorrect on most platforms won't flag it, because the merged string isn't a real word with a competing definition, so spell-checkers often pass it silently.

What "thus far" actually means

"Thus far" is a formal adverbial phrase meaning "up to this point" or "until now." It describes the extent or progress of something within a defined period or scope. A few clear examples:

  • Thus far, the committee has reviewed 14 of the 30 applications.
  • The project has gone well thus far, though the final phase remains untested.
  • Thus far in the season, no team has won more than three consecutive games.

"Thus far" leans formal. It fits naturally in reports, academic writing, legal documents, and careful journalism. In casual speech or informal writing, "so far" covers the same ground with less ceremony. Both are correct. "Thusfar" is neither.

How to use "thus far" correctly

"Thus far" works as a sentence opener or as a mid-sentence modifier. Position it before the subject when you want to set the time frame first. Place it after the verb when the emphasis belongs on the action. Both placements are grammatically clean.

Sentence-opener: Thus far, no evidence has emerged to support the claim.

Mid-sentence: The evidence gathered thus far does not support the claim.

One thing to avoid: using "thus far" redundantly alongside "yet" or "so far" in the same clause. Writing "thus far so far" or "thus far yet" creates a pile-up of temporal markers that adds no meaning. Pick one and move on.

Quick rule to remember

If you can substitute "so far" and the sentence still works, you want thus far (two words, formal register). If the substitution sounds awkward, reconsider whether the phrase fits the context at all. And if you're ever unsure whether a phrase should be one word or two, a spelling question like standalone vs stand alone illustrates how much grammatical role shapes the answer: the same string of letters can be correct or wrong depending purely on how it's used in the sentence.

"Thusfar" is never correct. Write it as two words, every time.