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as in withdrawn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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Trump’s America looks backward—toward a gender order where men lead families and women follow.
—Sophia A. Nelson, Forbes.com, 9 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
The 27-year-old sat down in the 47th minute and appeared to fall backward shortly before medical staff from both teams arrived to attend to her on the field.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Trump’s America looks backward—toward a gender order where men lead families and women follow.
—Sophia A. Nelson, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backward
Adverb
-
Sabel made the trek and quickly realized the greater need in Sri Lanka and worldwide was for regasification facilities that receive the LNG and covert it back into gas for power generation.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Des Moines resident Jacob Hardigree, 33, was among the many millennials interviewed by Newsweek in July about the wave of young people moving back to the Midwest to buy homes and start families.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
With Argyle’s offense in high gear, that necessitated Heritage going for it on fourth down six times -- including four in the first half -- converting three of those, two of which led to TDs in the opening half.—
Mike Waters,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Sep. 2025
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Start at the top and work your way down, gently rubbing away any dirt.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 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
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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
-
Out of around 400,000 approvals in the 2024 fiscal year, nearly two-thirds are renewals.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Dynamic webpages led to the rise of blogging, first as an experiment (some, like Justin Hall’s and Dave Winer’s, are still around today) and then as something anyone could do in their spare time.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
22 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 Dodgers’ lone bullpen acquisition at the trade deadline, Brock Stewart, was acquired to tackle facing right-handed hitters.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Chattanooga ties for last Chattanooga's lone appearance on the top 10 sees the city in a three-way tie with Nashville in eighth place.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backward. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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