to-and-fro

1 of 3

noun

: activity involving alternating movement in opposite directions
the busy to-and-fro of the holiday shoppers

to-and-fro

2 of 3

adjective

: forward and backward

to and fro

3 of 3

adverb

: from one place to another

Examples of to-and-fro in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The 28 Days Later photocall in Paris on June 4 saw Taylor-Johnson wear his beard shaved much lower to his face, but the windy conditions of the day caused his curls to drift to-and-fro. Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 16 June 2025 However, the following season and after a to-and-fro battle with Notts County, Wrexham got the job done and was promoted as fifth-tier champion with a record points total. Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Adverb
Most simply move people to and fro, like ferries to places the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii or the Statue of Liberty in New York. Diana Lambdin Meyer, USA Today, 28 June 2025 Thus the actual Greenspan glides to and fro between characters, often becoming Mona, telling her friends how absolutely wonderful David Greenspan is. Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for to-and-fro

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1553, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1749, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of to-and-fro was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“To-and-fro.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/to-and-fro. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

to-and-fro

adjective
ˌtü-ən-ˈfrō
: forward and backward
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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