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as in withdrawn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
ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Osterloh fell backward to the floor on his follow-through.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Annabel Gat, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2026
His belligerent knock ended in the final over when Phillips caught him at deep backward square leg at the second attempt.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backward
Adverb
Iván Angulo ran onto a through ball played ahead by Marco Pasalic and tapped a pass backward to Ojeda for the finish.
—ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Osterloh fell backward to the floor on his follow-through.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Think of it as going two steps backward to propel three steps ahead!
—Annabel Gat, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2026
His belligerent knock ended in the final over when Phillips caught him at deep backward square leg at the second attempt.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backward
Adverb
-
If a gatekeeper pushes back, stay calm and explain your purpose clearly.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Her hair, with a neat middle part, was pulled back tightly into a low bun to frame her face perfectly, and it was all punctuated with a strong red lip.—
Gretta Monahan,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
So do many farmers around here.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Guests walk around in the white cotton kurtas that are handed to them on arrival.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The claim named the cemetery, the date, and the photographer, but none of that information was supported by reverse image search, metadata analysis, or other fact-checking.—
Mahsa Alimardani,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Wembanyama blocked Kris Dunn's reverse layup, creating a fast break that ended with an alley-oop dunk by Carter Bryant.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 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
-
Those who itemize their taxes and fall within the highest tax bracket will now be limited to claiming total deductions of 35% of their income, down from 37% previously.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
-
In this case, your friend is actually 40% down, so go ahead and keep that Korean sheet mask on your face a while longer.—
Ellen Harrold,
New Yorker,
18 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
-
Dybantsa was two points shy of tying BYU's NCAA Tournament record for points in a game, held by Danny Ainge and Jimmer Fredette.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
If the forecast high of 94 holds up, that would be nearly 20 degrees hotter than normal and just 2 degrees shy of the March 22 daily heat record set in 1971.—
Roberto Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backward. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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