1
as in exchanges
a giving or taking of one thing of value in return for another
after the usual back-and-forth of official gifts, the two leaders entered into a serious discussion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in discussions
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue
the others listened with relish to the back-and-forth between the two noted professors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of back-and-forths
LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have all had public back-and-forths with Smith over the years.
—
Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
With each witness, Guillard — in her role as her own attorney — challenged their testimony in sometimes testy back-and-forths that had to be refereed by the judge and court staff.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
Kelce and Nicole, 34, broke up multiple times throughout their five years together, and made several public comments and back-and-forths about each other on social media and in interviews over the years.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Given the awkward back-and-forths seen thus far and, even more so, Robinson’s history playing poor communicators, the description is hard to believe.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025
The rapper and boxer have had social media back-and-forths with Remy on several occasions due to the situation.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 25 Sep. 2025
But unlike some of the classic back-and-forths of the past Probst would have during challenges with folks like Penner and Parvati Shallow, Survivor 49 will also air interactions that take place on both sides of the contests.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Republicans and Democrats engaged in many back-and-forths during the hearing on Wednesday that began in the morning and is expected to last into the evening.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
Our back-and-forths with a chatbot, in turn, exteriorize our private, internal dialogues, which some consider constitutive of thought itself.
—Dan Rockmore, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
With each witness, Guillard — in her role as her own attorney — challenged their testimony in sometimes testy back-and-forths that had to be refereed by the judge and court staff.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
Kelce and Nicole, 34, broke up multiple times throughout their five years together, and made several public comments and back-and-forths about each other on social media and in interviews over the years.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Given the awkward back-and-forths seen thus far and, even more so, Robinson’s history playing poor communicators, the description is hard to believe.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025
The rapper and boxer have had social media back-and-forths with Remy on several occasions due to the situation.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 25 Sep. 2025
But unlike some of the classic back-and-forths of the past Probst would have during challenges with folks like Penner and Parvati Shallow, Survivor 49 will also air interactions that take place on both sides of the contests.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Republicans and Democrats engaged in many back-and-forths during the hearing on Wednesday that began in the morning and is expected to last into the evening.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
Our back-and-forths with a chatbot, in turn, exteriorize our private, internal dialogues, which some consider constitutive of thought itself.
—Dan Rockmore, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back-and-forths
Noun
-
Irish Spring soap, known for its fresh scent, is often recommended online — in blog posts, social media exchanges and elsewhere — as a way to repel skunks.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Kraken, one of the oldest crypto exchanges in the global industry, is ceasing on World Cup fever and drawing parallels between soccer fans and ‘hodlers’ in their promotions.—
Cleve Mesidor,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
If discussions drift, gently redirect toward next actions and timelines, since specific promises turn goodwill into practical progress.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
Politico quoted an unnamed source familiar with Amazon’s discussions as saying the government asked Amazon for feedback on the new Anthropic model.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
The two-day event featured discussions spanning the healthcare landscape, from new industry commitments on prior authorization and the growing role of AI to ongoing debates over how to balance pharmaceutical innovation with affordability.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
11 June 2026
-
Kristi Burton Brown, another former state party chair, questioned Marx’s apparent disinterest in policy discussions and debates.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Since 2018, China and Russia have institutionalized their bilateral consultations on the Arctic.—
ELIZABETH ECONOMY,
Foreign Affairs,
9 Dec. 2025
-
Environmental surveys and community consultations will take place in parallel, as required by Quebec procedures.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Officials are already shuttling between their various capitals for conversations about what the parties might get from it.—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Even those who work part- or full-time still end up shouldering the brunt of the practical labor (cooking, cleaning, caretaking, scheduling) and emotional labor (initiating hard conversations, offering support, anticipating needs, absorbing stress).—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The talks, conducted in coordination with the US, lasted into the early hours of this morning, the source said, as the US was striking Iran.—
Arpita Dasika,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
-
Newly promoted Bolton Wanderers are currently in talks to sign the versatile 22-year-old, with other Championship clubs also interested.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Talcove consults with the government on tracking illicit funds.—
Laura Geller,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
-
The next steps are psychological consults, a physical exam, uterine evaluation and blood work.—
Ann Marie Luft,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Back-and-forths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back-and-forths. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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