variants
or backwards
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 down
toward the opposite direction
the loud noise prompted him to glance backward to see what was happening
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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as in withdrawn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
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Recent Examples of backward
Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Managing up doesn't mean sucking up, heeding your boss' every whim, keeping any disagreement to yourself, or bending over backwards to make leaders happy.
—Stav Ziv, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Greg Friedman, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
Brooks, the happiness expert, cited himself as an example of someone who made a seemingly backward career moves to ultimately become more successful.
—Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backward
Adverb
The novel looks backward at a moment in American history when political and cultural upheaval had swallowed whole a generation’s homegrown sense of hope.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Managing up doesn't mean sucking up, heeding your boss' every whim, keeping any disagreement to yourself, or bending over backwards to make leaders happy.
—Stav Ziv, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
All in all, the winners in this choppy period for the office market won’t be passive buyers or those who are still casting a backward look at pre-2022 conditions; the winners will be strategic operators willing to step into the gaps created by CRE’s seismic shift.
—Greg Friedman, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
Brooks, the happiness expert, cited himself as an example of someone who made a seemingly backward career moves to ultimately become more successful.
—Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backward
Adverb
-
In Finneytown, Uncle Bill's owner has reached out to corporate officials and yet to hear back.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
-
In contrast, veins transport blood back to the heart under very low pressure.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The ultimate letdown came in the eighth inning, when the Phillies — down 5-3 — loaded the bases against Tyler Glasnow to coax Alex Vesia from the Dodgers bullpen.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Shooter down, horror continues Within about three minutes, officers ― one from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, then one from Grand Blanc Township ― arrived on the scene.—
Georgea Kovanis,
Freep.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Some of the latest diffuser technology, introduced by Dyson in the brand’s Supersonic Nural hair dryer last year, features a reverse airflow setting that draws hair into the diffuser’s bowl to stretch and dry curls or dry waves for effortless, French girl-style ‘dos.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
26 Sep. 2025
-
An investigation into Alexander Donahoe, a teacher at Jere Baxter Middle School, was launched in March after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported a computer with an IP address in Nashville was being used to conduct reverse image searches.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Set in Taiwan in 1988, Girl revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Unfortunately, further discussions were heated, with no resolve, just more withdrawn behavior while the communications continued.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
30 July 2025
Adverb
-
When moved rearward, the driver-side mattress folds and the front part of the bed base telescopes inside the larger rear section so the dinette can be expanded and used comfortably up front.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Sep. 2025
-
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
Adverb
-
With up to 150 hours of burn time, there’s plenty of holiday cheer to go around.—
L. Daniela Alvarez,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The two planes were around 5,200 feet (1 mile) at their closest points, according to the FAA.—
Ayesha Ali,
ABC News,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s just shy of the $15 million to $25 million that box office analysts had predicted.—
Sarah Whitten,
CNBC,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Once approached by the director, the women were hardly camera-shy.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The team’s lone major free-agent signing in the 2020s has backfired in spectacular fashion.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The drama follows Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) as a detective called in to investigate the 1987 massacre of four scientists brutally murdered in inexplicable ways, with a lone survivor the obvious suspect.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backward. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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