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as in withdrawn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
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
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
Book Marks
september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
CEOs must not bend the knee to secure mergers and regulatory favors.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
If culture clings to comfort, strategy will snap at the first bend.
—Maman Ibrahim, Forbes.com, 16 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
Verb
The President of the United States is busy redecorating the White House and bent on buying Greenland.
—Book Marks
september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
CEOs must not bend the knee to secure mergers and regulatory favors.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
Day and night aren't exactly 12 hours long on the day of the equinox because the Earth's atmosphere refracts, or bends, light in an optical illusion that results in more daylight.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
If culture clings to comfort, strategy will snap at the first bend.
—Maman Ibrahim, Forbes.com, 16 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
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
Keep your shoulders relaxed and engage your core to avoid arching your back.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Dirty kicks are essentially high-arching knuckleballs that can land in the middle of the field and take an unpredictable bounce or fly at an angle, depending on how the kicker makes contact.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Brummage even changed her school schedule to devote more time to it and says she cold emails about 100 people a day when she’s not actively pinned down with projects.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Based on public feedback, TARC's new network will devote roughly 70% of resources to routes with frequent, reliable service in areas with potential for high ridership, with the remaining 30% directed toward routes that cover a larger geographic area with lower frequency and ridership.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For comparison, current industry leader Cheniere aims to grow to about 75 MTPA near 2030—big growth, but not keeping pace with Venture Global’s plans.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Ultimately, Sonder aims to challenge narrow definitions of masculinity by presenting a spectrum of intimacy and tension, and by highlighting its fluidity.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The difference in the zero-point energy of space between those two locations tells us, as first derived in Hawking’s 1974 paper, that radiation will be emitted from the region around the black hole, where space is curved the most strongly.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The angles of the rooms are all curved, and there’s a circular quality to the sets that gives the impression that nothing leads anywhere.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
22 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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