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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also rearwards
as in backwards
toward the rear
turned rearward for a moment, just for one final look at the haunting scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rearward
Howard Walker, Robb Report, 3 Aug. 2024
Most were initially posted to checkpoints and other rearward duties in their native regions, but that changed as the Army hemorrhaged personnel.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
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
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
See All Example Sentences for rearward
Adjective
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
Most were initially posted to checkpoints and other rearward duties in their native regions, but that changed as the Army hemorrhaged personnel.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Adverb
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
Noun
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
See All Example Sentences for rearward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rearward
Adjective
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Porto found traces of DNA from three people, including O'Keefe, on the outside of Read’s right rear taillight and on multiple pieces of O’Keefe’s clothing.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
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There are some slight design differences between them (the 16S has a rear thermal block that's missing on the V 16S), and the 16S tops out at an RTX 5070 Ti while the V 16S only goes up to an RTX 5070.—
Matthew Buzzi,
PC Magazine,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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And something did go wrong ... for Pugh, at least, whose batons kept getting caught on the concrete ledge above her, yanking her backward every time.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
EW.com,
2 May 2025
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Lots of traditional gym staples (like squats, lunges, or presses) involve the sagittal plane, or forward and backward motion.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
2 May 2025
Noun
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Perhaps anticipating the collision, video footage showed the goat leaping into the air and brushing Smith’s leg and back wheel.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
12 May 2025
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But for the time being, the eyes of new running backs coach Eric Bieniemy, Johnson and Poles are mostly on Monangai.—
Phil Rogers,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Noun
-
Seeing this enormous collective enterprise take shape in real time—much of it by trial and error—was like witnessing history in reverse.—
Rachel Howard,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2025
-
Unloading, needless to say, is just the same process in reverse.—
Ben Coxworth
May 07,
New Atlas,
7 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rearward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rearward. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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