forward

1 of 4

adjective

for·​ward ˈfȯr-wərd How to pronounce forward (audio)
 also  ˈfō-,
 or  ˈfȯ-,
 Southern also  ˈfär-
1
a
: near, being at, or belonging to the forepart
the forward section of the main deck
b
: situated in advance
Baggage is carried in the forward cars of the train.
2
a
: strongly inclined : ready
always forward to criticize his neighbors
b
: lacking modesty or reserve : brash
Poorly disciplined children are often distressingly forward.
3
: notably advanced or developed : precocious
The child is very forward at walking.
4
: moving, tending, or leading toward a position in front
checked the forward movement of the dog
also : moving toward an opponent's goal
5
a
: advocating an advanced policy in the direction of what is considered progress
a firm forward policy
b
: extreme, radical
on the forward fringe of conservatism
6
: of, relating to, or getting ready for the future
forward buying of produce
forwardly adverb
forwardness noun

forward

2 of 4

adverb

: to or toward what is ahead or in front
from that time forward
moved slowly forward

forward

3 of 4

verb

forwarded; forwarding; forwards

transitive verb

1
: to help onward : promote
forwarded his friend's career
2
a
: to send forward : transmit
will forward the goods on receipt of your check
b
: to send or ship onward from an intermediate post or station in transit
forward mail

forward

4 of 4

noun

: a player who plays at the front the team's formation near the opponent's goal
a forward in hockey
Choose the Right Synonym for forward

advance, promote, forward, further mean to help (someone or something) to move ahead.

advance stresses effective assisting in hastening a process or bringing about a desired end.

advance the cause of peace

promote suggests an encouraging or fostering and may denote an increase in status or rank.

a campaign to promote better health

forward implies an impetus forcing something ahead.

a wage increase would forward productivity

further suggests a removing of obstacles in the way of a desired advance.

used the marriage to further his career

Examples of forward in a Sentence

Adjective the forward deck of a boat the forward movement of history a very forward young woman Adverb Her long hair fell forward as she bent to tie her shoes. He pushed the throttle forward. She took a small step forward. The narrative moves backward and forward in time. The technology has taken a big step forward. Verb Your letter will be forwarded to the appropriate department. Please forward my mail to my new address.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Tarasenko was on the ice when a 4-on-4 sequence ended, and got stuck playing on an imperfect forward line next to fellow wingers Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe. David Wilson, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 In one of the movie’s highlights, the very forward Frost gets a reluctant Buck to dance with her. Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 If all goes well, they'll be cleared for another launch try Sunday at 10:53 p.m. EST, setting up a docking at the space station's forward port around 3 a.m. Tuesday. William Harwood, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2024 Total revenues for the year were $2.8 billion, up 36% y/y. The problem was that forward guidance was weaker than expected. R. Scott Raynovich, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 It’s always been a home for creative minds and forward thinkers and masters of the craft. Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 Tehran uses them to spread its influence across the region and serve as a forward line of defense against the United States and Israel. Mustafa Salim, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2024 So the only option then is supposed to be the forward pitch to McKinnon. Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2024 But this took a back seat to Nvidia’s blowout top and bottom-line numbers and its forward guidance which occurred after Wednesday’s (February 21st) market close. Robert Barone, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Adverb
On Sunday, March 10 at 2:00 a.m. local time, clocks across the United States and Canada will turn forward one hour to 3:00 a.m. local time. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Daylight saving time for 2024 starts this weekend, taking an hour from many sleep schedules as the clocks spring forward. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 9 Mar. 2024 In a game earlier that preseason, the Celtics forward Paul Pierce had been given a tech for punching the air in frustration following a foul. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2024 Now 14, the scoring forward will have a chance to earn minutes with the A-side team in his first full season as a professional. Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2024 Different businesses and industries, from golf to candy to coal, have different feelings about the twice-annual practice of moving clocks forward and back. Laura Bratton, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024 The Panthers on Friday, hours ahead of the NHL’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, acquired forward Kyle Okposo from the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman prospect Calle Sjalin and a conditional seventh-round pick. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 On Thursday night, in their first significant move before the deadline, the Sharks sent forward Anthony Duclair and a 2025 seventh-round draft pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2024 third-round selection and minor league defenseman Jack Thompson. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Following the departure of their bassist Charlie Holt earlier this week, indie rock group Rainbow Kitten Surprise is ready to move forward into their fantasy with their latest single. Stephen Daw, Billboard, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
The golf executive forwarded the tip to the president’s son, Eric, who passed it along to the lawyer. Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 According to the prosecution, Monica forwarded the log in credentials and user manual for her security system to Robert Baker on the same day it was upgraded. Gabriella Demirdjian, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2024 Once someone has asked for a recount, the Secretary of State forwards a copy of the request to the election officials in the county where the recount is wanted. Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2024 Last night, friends forwarded me some of the warnings that had circulated on WhatsApp during the day and evening. Amy Wilentz, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2024 When a reporter left a message asking for comment on Tate’s actions, Schriver replied by asking to be forwarded the announcement from Tate's office, which is publicly available on the House Democrats' website. Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 Examples to look for are massive data downloads and forwarding emails to noncorporate email addresses. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Meyer said a case would be forwarded to prosecutors for consideration of possible charges later this week. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 14 Feb. 2024 While hundreds of apps were involved, attention soon focused on one that captured data from 87 million Facebook users and forwarded it to a U.K. political data-mining firm called Cambridge Analytica that had ties to then-President Donald Trump's political strategist Steve Bannon. TIME, 2 Feb. 2024
Noun
While fans will want to see more assists and goals to his tally – five so far this season in 35 appearances – his output is generally enticing for the forwards to attack. Liam Canning, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Maybe paired with Redondo, Busquets could do his thing and let younger legs chase down speedy wingers and forwards. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 During one sequence against Portland, as the Hornets were running a play drawn up by Clifford during a timeout, Miller quietly pointed out to Grant Williams where to slide, ensuring the forward would be in the right position for the set to have a better chance at success. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2024 Chris Smith, a forward for the Iowa Wolves of the G League who spent his final two college seasons under Cronin, said part of the coach’s genius was connecting basketball to other things. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Freshman guard Myles Rice is running away with the Pac-12 freshman of the year race, while senior forward Issac Jones has put himself in serious consideration of being named first-team all-conference. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 Both of these South American forwards have inspired at international level this campaign. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Real Madrid, one of the leading suitors of Mbappé, once pitched the forward an offer including a signing bonus of almost $140 million in addition to a net salary that would have provided him with more than $26 million per season, the New York Times reported. Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Those three games Lorentz played came when Florida had multiple forwards injured. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forward.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Adverb, Verb, and Noun

Middle English, from Old English foreweard, from fore- + -weard -ward

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1879, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near forward

Cite this Entry

“Forward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forward. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

forward

1 of 4 adjective
for·​ward ˈfȯr-wərd How to pronounce forward (audio)
1
: near, being at, or belonging to the front part
2
: lacking proper modesty or reserve
3
: moving, tending, or leading to a position in front
forwardly adverb
forwardness noun

forward

2 of 4 adverb
: to or toward what is in front

forward

3 of 4 verb
1
: to help onward
forward a friend's career
2
: to send on or forward
forward a letter

forward

4 of 4 noun
: a player who plays at the front of the team near the opponent's goal

Legal Definition

forward

noun
for·​ward
: forward contract at contract

More from Merriam-Webster on forward

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