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as in withdrawn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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of backward
Riley Moser, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Following the health scare — which drew speculation and worry from fans who’d watched the viral video of Young stumbling and dropping her microphone before falling backward — Young canceled the remainder of her tour, which included a 21-stop North American run.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Weerakone pointed to ongoing initiatives to expand textile manufacturing capacity within Sri Lanka, particularly along the east coast, as part of a broader push toward backward integration.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backward
Adverb
Charges say surveillance video from the day care shows the woman picking up a child and falling backward into the wall, also slamming the child's head into the wall.
—Riley Moser, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Following the health scare — which drew speculation and worry from fans who’d watched the viral video of Young stumbling and dropping her microphone before falling backward — Young canceled the remainder of her tour, which included a 21-stop North American run.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Achane, who had 1,838 yards from scrimmage last season (1,350 yards rushing, 488 yards receiving) falls forward, not backward, at the end of plays despite weighing 191 pounds.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Weerakone pointed to ongoing initiatives to expand textile manufacturing capacity within Sri Lanka, particularly along the east coast, as part of a broader push toward backward integration.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backward
Adverb
-
My credit is almost back to something respectable but my bank account sure isn’t.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
While an annoyance at times for the crew, it's been a relatively minor issue given the technical challenges of safely flying to the moon and back.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The *ahem* ebike is powered by a removable 48-volt, 20-Ah battery (around 960 Wh) that Cyrusher says will net you about 68 miles (~110 km) of range on a charge – and another 6-7 hours to recharge.—
Joe Salas
April 07,
New Atlas,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Marcus sees herself taking the pill long term, with a goal of losing around 30 pounds.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Additional studies into a mother’s reverse aging processes have suggested that the fetus may have a rejuvenating effect on the mother.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Using a reverse image search is a simple way to do this.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 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
-
The accusations have made a dent on prediction markets like Kalshi, where Swalwell’s odds of winning the governor’s race dipped to 39% on Tuesday night, down from a high of nearly 73% on March 20.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Only in the second half, with the Heat down 16, did the two share time on the court together, and then only briefly.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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
Adjective
-
Brendan Carr, the chairman of the FCC who is rarely shy on any media topic, seized on the issue of accessible sports rights in a post on X earlier this year.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2026
-
While the service module falls away to burn up on re-entry over the Pacific, Orion’s crew module will begin its direct path at 400,000 feet altitude, about 1,900 miles shy of its splashdown site .—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backward. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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