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 around
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as in withdrawn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
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Walker was shot and killed by Officer Alexander Clifford when a scuffle led to a policeman falling backward, at which point Walker raised a knife, Prescott wrote in his preliminary report.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Directed by Tom George, the 22-minute adventure doesn’t bend over backward forcing you to notice its formal ambitions.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backward
Adverb
The 12-3 record in one-score games remains an issue, given how teams typically trend backwards the following season.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Walker was shot and killed by Officer Alexander Clifford when a scuffle led to a policeman falling backward, at which point Walker raised a knife, Prescott wrote in his preliminary report.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Local social media users may have seen the video of Pete, sporting sunglasses and a backward baseball cap, reshared on lifestyle page Only in Dade.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Directed by Tom George, the 22-minute adventure doesn’t bend over backward forcing you to notice its formal ambitions.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backward
Adverb
-
Phelps arrived at Boise State as a walk-on and was treated as a defensive back at first.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The video ends as the driver retrieves what appears to be a firearm from the street, before both men climb back onto the scooter and ride off-screen.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
According to Turner, Kaiko and her littermates lived outdoors in a pen from birth until she was rescued at around nine months old.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Over the years since its mission began in 1978, the force has lost around 340 members.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Among the 2,066 counties that grew between 2023 and 2024, nearly 8 in 10 saw their growth slow or reverse direction in 2025.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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Beyond that, Dilber says using a service like reverse recruiting could be deemed fraudulent by some companies who view it as misrepresenting yourself during the hiring process.—
Jennifer Liu
Anuz Thapa,
CNBC,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Parents report that many children stop eating, lose weight and become withdrawn.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Along the way, Babilonia matured from the shy withdrawn child who refused to hold a boy’s hand into a bold, strong and confident woman.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Two of their toes point inward and two point rearward with sharp pointed claws.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
6 Nov. 2025
-
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
Adverb
-
True was in her office inside the restaurant shortly after the lunch rush Monday afternoon when a customer came in and said the Chinese restaurant a couple doors down was on fire.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The $10 general admission during the Lilac Festival on weekends includes petting zoo, lilac maze, hoe down & jug band shows, lawn games, and lilac viewing.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Up to a million people celebrate in the neighborhood each year, and after the state was slammed by snow in recent weeks, city leaders want to maximize accessibility along the reversed route from Andrew Square to A Street and West Broadway.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Right now, however, the roles appear reversed.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In virtually staged listing photos, the floorboards are black and polished, the walls are white, and, in lieu of a wall dividing the bedroom from the living and dining, there are custom double-sided bookshelves just shy of the roughly 13-foot ceiling.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The pair were on their way to Kennedy’s cousin Rory’s wedding when his plane crashed off of Martha’s Vineyard on the evening of Friday, July 16, 1999, killing all three passengers on board instantly — roughly two months shy of the couple’s third wedding anniversary.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backward. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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