backward 1 of 2

adverb

ˈbak-wərd How to pronounce backward (audio)
variants or backwards
Definition of backwardnext
1
as in back
toward the rear looking backward, we could see the town receding in the distance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in around
toward the opposite direction the loud noise prompted him to glance backward to see what was happening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

backward

2 of 2

adjective

1
as in reverse
directed, turned, or done toward the back a backward turn on ice skates is hard to learn because you can't see where you're going

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in withdrawn
not comfortable around people curiously, the quiet, backward man opened up when around other introverts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of backward
Adverb
The new shuttle coaster starts with a forward launch through the single loop and up the far spike before racing backward down the spike and through the loop again in the opposite direction. — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2026 And that step backwards has been like 10 plus years of this, like plugging away of trying to make these rodent pain scales. — Quanta Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Sooryavanshi on Thursday took four balls to smash his first six over backward square. — ABC News, 23 July 2026 Hopefully Xbox is onto something here with its PC backward compatibility program. — Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for backward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backward
  1. back
  2. around
  3. reverse
  4. withdrawn
  5. rearward
  6. down
  7. reversed
  8. shy
Adverb
  • Some pulses penetrate gaps in the forest canopy and bounce off the ground, reflecting back to the sensors.
    — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 10 Aug. 2026
  • There’s certainly no route back to a more moderate form of leadership.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of back
Adverb
  • In an exclusive chat with PEOPLE at the premiere on Sunday, Hathaway opened up about how pregnancy feels different this time around in her 40s.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
  • These meteors are debris from comet 109P/Swift–Tuttle, entering Earth’s atmosphere at around 37 miles per second (59 kilometers per second), according to the American Meteor Society.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of around
Adjective
  • On the other hand, reverse decluttering puts your focus solely on the positive—the things that actively serve your life right now.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Homes can be visually inspected for compliance from the outside, and enclosing the ground level area for living space after the home is constructed and approved for occupancy would draw a reverse work order.
    — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of reverse
Adjective
  • In an era of ball-to-feet No 10s and withdrawn strikers, Welbeck stays high up the pitch, runs the channels and occupies defenders.
    — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • The withdrawn earnings are taxed as ordinary income, the Treasury said.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 11 July 2026
Definition of withdrawn
Adverb
  • The floor plan centers around a single- or dual-seat lounge that faces rearward to provide views through the open entryway.
    — C.C. Weiss May 07, New Atlas, 7 May 2026
  • Two of their toes point inward and two point rearward with sharp pointed claws.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2025
Definition of rearward
Adverb
  • Intel, the largest private employer in Oregon, also announced layoffs last month, impacting its data center operations and shrinking its workforce to 81,000 — down from more than 130,000 in 2022.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Nationally, only about 25% of homes are selling above their asking price, down from roughly 55% at the pandemic-era peak in 2022, according to Redfin.
    — Mike Winters, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of down
Adjective
  • It’s not yet confirmed if the reversed look that was seen initially will be released at retail.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 6 May 2026
  • As the number of reversed-conviction lawsuits exploded over the past decade, the city spread most of the work around a dozen firms, who deployed more than 200 attorneys in all plus another 200-plus support staffers.
    — Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Definition of reversed
Adjective
  • Ford sold under just shy of 170,000 vehicles last month — 169,951.
    — Breana Noble, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is never shy about influencing how Americans should vote.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of shy

Browse Nearby Words

backups
backward
backward-looking
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backward. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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