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as in withdrawn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
1
as in to arch
to cause to turn away from a straight line
she bent the blade of the knife when she got it jammed in the drawer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to devote
to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention
bent herself to the task for the rest of the day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
bent all of his efforts toward making his first documentary film
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in to distort
to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of
attorneys bending the facts to put their client in the most favorable light
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to attach
to cause (something) to hold to another
bend a leash to the dog's collar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in curvature
something that curves or is curved
it's hard to see around that bend in the road, so be careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of backward
Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Pope was knocked unconscious and fell backwards, hitting his head on the ground.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Daniah Robertson, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Just like Triton, Nereid is an irregular satellite, a class of objects whose orbits are inclined, backward or distant from their host, suggesting they were captured by their host and previously orbited the sun independently.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
Zach Wichter, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Magic, in other words, is connected to space’s ability to bend.
—Quanta Magazine, 3 June 2026
Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 1 June 2026
Obviously unhuman, perhaps in a flat slab-like orientation with all fingers full extended, but certain not how most humans carry their hands, with a slight, natural-looking bend of the fingers.
—John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for backward
Adverb
The whole concept of toxic fandom confuses me because, outside of the anger and backwards thinking, because who cares about a movie franchise that much?
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Pope was knocked unconscious and fell backwards, hitting his head on the ground.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Adjective
Sustained excellence rests on timely, decision‑relevant data that enables early action, not backward reporting, and clear ownership from strategy through execution, ensuring accountability sits with impact.
—Daniah Robertson, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Just like Triton, Nereid is an irregular satellite, a class of objects whose orbits are inclined, backward or distant from their host, suggesting they were captured by their host and previously orbited the sun independently.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
Verb
The previous baggage handler had bent the chair past its design limits to get it on their flight to Phoenix.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Magic, in other words, is connected to space’s ability to bend.
—Quanta Magazine, 3 June 2026
Noun
River Bend Overlook A bend in the Little Missouri River gives this overlook its name, which also flaunts breathtaking, panoramic views of the North Unit's badlands.
—Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 1 June 2026
Obviously unhuman, perhaps in a flat slab-like orientation with all fingers full extended, but certain not how most humans carry their hands, with a slight, natural-looking bend of the fingers.
—John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for backward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backward
Adverb
-
When the waves reflect back, the radar receives them and transmits data about the number, height, direction, and speed of aerial passersby.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
As the first city in the New World, Santo Domingo is a place of great historical significance, home to the first cathedral of the Americas and other colonial monuments that transport tourists back in time.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Adverb
-
And Xi’s remarks this time around were also missing a key phrase.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
In fourth place, Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos remains a favorite for celebrities seeking privacy, while Tulum rounds out the top five, and stands out as one of the more affordable luxury beach destinations, with five-star hotels averaging around $240 per night.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Much of that time was spent on manual reverse engineering, boilerplate reconstruction, test creation and regression stabilization.—
Fabio Caversan,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
Safety features are extensive, from forward and reverse collision warning to traffic sign recognition and front and rear parking sensors to stop-and-go adaptive cruise control.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Patrick Stewart is also among those to have publicly discussed working with a withdrawn Hardy, who has also starred in The Dark Knight trilogy, Peaky Blinders and the Venom films.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
-
Read more on the deadly ripple effects of withdrawn aid.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
20 May 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
-
An incomprehensible dropped fly ball to center had runners and the corners with two down.—
Matt Roy,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
-
Dobbins told Alford that his 2026 choices were down to two.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
It’s not yet confirmed if the reversed look that was seen initially will be released at retail.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Detmers was still 15 pitches shy of his season-high when Suzuki pulled him.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
11 June 2026
-
The Knicks then outscored the Spurs, 58-30, in the second half, leaving them one win shy of their first championship since 1973.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backward. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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