rearward 1 of 3

1
as in back
being at or in the part of something opposite the front part got rearward quarters aboard the ship

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2
as in backward
directed, turned, or done toward the back the tearful girl gave a rearward glance to her younger brother as she was being led down the street for her first day at school

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rearward

2 of 3

adverb

variants also rearwards

rearward

3 of 3

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rearward
Adjective
But the proportions have the classic long-hood, cab-rearward look. Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes, 16 May 2022 The Urus's eight-speed gearbox has been recalibrated for Performante duty, and the all-wheel-drive system gets a different center differential that sends more torque rearward. Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 19 Aug. 2022
Adverb
The driver gets an adjustable red bucket seat, while the passenger gets a black seat that is positioned slightly rearward. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2024 The dash is bare-bones metal with a few modern touches, such as the nine-inch touchscreen for the Rockford Fosgate audio, and a somewhat gimmicky 12-inch overhead split screen that gives three rearward views from external cameras. Howard Walker, Robb Report, 3 Aug. 2024
Noun
That transfer case looks and functions very similarly to that of a Mercedes-Benz Unimog’s portal axles, with an onboard air compressor to engage it and gears that send power up and over the middle axle to a propshaft that continues rearward. Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 8 May 2024 The toe-control link is critical to achieving this, especially since the bushings allow the wheels to move rearward slightly to help absorb small, sharp bumps. Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 7 Sep. 2023 See All Example Sentences for rearward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rearward
Adjective
  • Walker pitched the idea, rallied support for it and volunteered over 100 hours of labor to create the library, a self-service kiosk that stands outside across from Casa de Mañana’s rear entrance on Coast Boulevard South.
    Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 2025
  • Some mechanisms deliver power to either your bicycle’s rear or front hub.
    Michael Venutolo-Mantovani, Wired News, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • This backward pull can feel like nostalgia — comforting, but also quietly painful.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • The economy will not thrive on backward, barbarian technologies and our babies will suffer from the burden of debt, bad air and blackouts.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • For a sheriff who frequently talks about demanding accountability, Tony’s threat to turn his back on a city of 87,000 residents is exactly the kind of talk lawbreakers want to hear.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2025
  • Collier, who missed the last two games with lower back soreness, came up clutch late.
    Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • In that case, the country could see something that resembles the two and a half decades of Gavi run in reverse.
    Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 27 June 2025
  • This momentum isn’t an engine that can be thrown in reverse.
    Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rearward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rearward. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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