1
: located at, near, or toward the rear
2
: directed toward the rear
a rearward glance
variants
or less commonly rearwards
: at, near, or toward the rear : backward
looking rearward
Examples of rearward in a Sentence
Adjective
the rearward section of the store
got rearward quarters aboard the ship
Adverb
turned rearward for a moment, just for one final look at the haunting scene
Recent Examples on the Web
IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2012
The top of the Kitchen Cruiser lifts up and rearward to serve as a shelf or extra worktop, exposing the 2.2-kW LPG stove that's included with the kit.
—New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2024
Jim Carmichel, Outdoor Life, 5 June 2025
Tugging the stick rearward triggers manual upshifts, with a forward flick for downshifts, akin to motorsport gearboxes.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2025
Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
As do the side vents, and the hood lines that start from the badge and flare outward and rearward, giving the front end more presence.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 5 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rearward
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Noun
The system actually strives to send all its power rearward, as God and Enzo Ferrari intended, but only up until its predictive algorithms decide that traction or stability is in jeopardy.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2012
The top of the Kitchen Cruiser lifts up and rearward to serve as a shelf or extra worktop, exposing the 2.2-kW LPG stove that's included with the kit.
—New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2024
Adjective
The trail gave way, and my horse toppled over in a twisting, rearward somersault.
—Jim Carmichel, Outdoor Life, 5 June 2025
Tugging the stick rearward triggers manual upshifts, with a forward flick for downshifts, akin to motorsport gearboxes.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2025
Adverb
Each is wrapped in graceful exterior lines and curves that sweep rearward from a massive hood that evokes a classic Jaguar XKE from the 1960’s.
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
As do the side vents, and the hood lines that start from the badge and flare outward and rearward, giving the front end more presence.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 5 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rearward
Cite this Entry
“Rearward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rearward. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rearward
1 of 2 adjective
rear·ward
ˈri(ə)r-wərd 
1
: located at, near, or toward the rear
2
: directed toward the rear : backward
rearwardly
adverb
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