backward
adverb
back·ward
| \ ˈbak-wərd
\
\
variants:
or backwards \ ˈbak-wərdz
\
\
Definition of backward
(Entry 1 of 3)
1a
: toward the back or rear
She glanced backward over her shoulder.
b
: with the back foremost
Take three steps backward.
2a
: in a reverse or contrary direction or way
Count backward from 10.
b
: toward the past
a journey backward in time
c
: toward a worse state
His new job felt like a step backward.
bend over backward
or lean over backward
: to make extreme efforts (as at concession)
He said he would bend over backward to make the deal.
backward
adjectiveDefinition of backward (Entry 2 of 3)
backward
nounDefinition of backward (Entry 3 of 3)
: the part behind or past
… the dark backward … of time …— Shakespeare
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Synonyms & Antonyms for backward
Synonyms: Adverb
back, rearward (also rearwards)
Synonyms: Adjective
Antonyms: Adverb
ahead, along, forth, forward, forwards, on, onward (also onwards)
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Examples of backward in a Sentence
Adverb
a sudden movement backward, not forward I heard a noise behind me and glanced backward. He pushed the throttle backward. She took a small step backward. a journey backward in time The narrative moves backward and forward in time.Adjective
a technologically backward village that has no running water a backward turn on ice skates is hard to learn because you can't see where you're going
Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
In the CN Tower event last October, six people in crimson jumpsuits and body harnesses were made Canadian while leaning backward tethered over an outdoor ledge nearly 1,200 feet high. — Lila Maclellan, Quartz, "Canada’s elaborate citizenship ceremonies would be indoctrination if held anywhere else," 29 Aug. 2019 This time, Lewis had run at Andrade and shoved him backward. — Bay City News, The Mercury News, "Fatal fight over door ding: Attacker weeps at sentencing in front of angry family," 29 Aug. 2019 Conservative groups hailed the decision as a win and civil liberties groups called it a step backward. — Dana Ferguson, Twin Cities, "Court allows St. Cloud wedding filmmakers to sue to refuse same-sex couples," 26 Aug. 2019 But now tourism is rolling backward, with the number of international visitors on track to drop by 16 percent this year compared with the year before, and numbers of Americans on pace to plunge by 20 percent. — New York Times, "Iceland’s Purple Planes Are Grounded, and With Them, Its Economy," 25 Aug. 2019 With his left arm, Rush pushed Cardinals guard Jeremy Vujnovich backward. — Matt Kawahara, SFChronicle.com, "Raiders hope they have a steal in undrafted rookie DT Anthony Rush," 21 Aug. 2019 The left side of the line — Lamp and second-year tackle Trent Scott — was unable to prevent being pushed backward. — Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, "Can Troymaine Pope finally cut it with Chargers after years of falling short in NFL?," 19 Aug. 2019 O'Neill said Pantaleo initially placed Garner in a chokehold as the two men stumbled backward into a glass window. — Author: Tom Hays, Michael R. Sisak, Anchorage Daily News, "NYPD fires officer for 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner," 19 Aug. 2019 O'Neill said Pantaleo initially placed Garner in a chokehold as the two men stumbled backward into a glass window. — Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, "Why NYPD Fired Officer 5 Years After Eric Garner’s Chokehold Death," 19 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
As the board surges a few inches forward and backward with each left-right scoop, a realization soon sets in: My shoulders are burning. — Roy M. Wallack, Los Angeles Times, "A water workout so hard that just standing up is an accomplishment," 7 Aug. 2019 Zapata steers his craft by leaning forward or backward and controls the thrust with a throttle, the news agency added. — NBC News, "French 'flying man' succeeds in bid to cross English Channel on a jet-powered hoverboard," 4 Aug. 2019 To start pass rush/protection drills, OLB Bradley Chubb used his power to push LT Garett Bolles backward and then onto his rear end. — Ryan O'halloran, The Denver Post, "Broncos Camp Rewind: Practice No. 10 starts inside, finishes outside," 29 July 2019 Then, of course, the spacecraft flips over, fires backward and brakes them into a 60-mile orbit. — Jennifer Bogo, Popular Mechanics, "The Oral History of Apollo 11," 18 July 2019 The next batter, Freddie Freeman, fouled a 1-0 fastball backward and off home plate umpire Dana DeMuth’s left forearm. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Braves win, as Keuchel grounds Padres," 12 July 2019 In it, a brother and sister in an unhappy family come together after their scientist father, who believed evolution was running backward and humanity was doomed, dies on a remote island. — Carole Goldberg, courant.com, "Write Stuff: The sex lives of ‘Three Women’, ‘Opinionated Women’ and Edith Wharton," 11 July 2019 Loop runs the video without stopping, while Bounce runs it forward and backward. — Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY, "7 Tips for taking great July 4th fireworks photos on your smartphone," 3 July 2019 And the show needs it — in addition to Francis slapping himself silly and falling backward over a chair, an old man is smacked with a cricket bat, and other hijinks fill the stage, all the while accompanied by the music of an on-stage band. — John Orr, The Mercury News, "Theater: The show that made James Corden a star," 13 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Then a fall, backward onto a large chunk of granite, cracked a rib and exacerbated the nerve issues. — Steve Meyer, Anchorage Daily News, "Well-heeled Brits have the ‘Glorious Twelfth,’ but Alaska bird hunters have it better," 14 Aug. 2019 The final product is a light with two LEDs, one facing forward and one facing backward. — Madeline St. Amour, The Denver Post, "CU Boulder students innovate bike lights to improve visibility," 11 Aug. 2019 When officers tried to handcuff Ames, the report said, Ames attempted to kick Payne by doing a backwards kick toward his groin but missed and assaulted Conklin by grabbing him near his eye and cheek. — Brieanna J. Frank, azcentral, "Phoenix couple in viral police video criticizes release of Tempe DUI video," 4 July 2019 Abu Danladi continues to take one step forward and one backward. — Andy Greder, Twin Cities, "U.S. men’s soccer coach Gregg Berhalter: ‘We will be back’ at Allianz Field," 26 June 2019 After a four-minute fight, Anchorage’s Kao Thao has landed a 15-pound chinook (also known as king) salmon by dragging it in backward onto the rocks. — Matt Tunseth, Anchorage Daily News, "Working the night shift: Snagging salmon in Seward," 11 June 2019 The shirt itself is a kind of dusty cream, made from Japanese cotton, and all the e’s are facing backward, almost as a challenge. — Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, "What Brand Defines These Soccer Stars? Their Own," 5 June 2019 Stocks notched a rare-for-this-year backward slip as new storm clouds gathered over the Capitol. — Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: Wall Street shrugs as Washington careens toward a shutdown," 19 Jan. 2018 Step one leg backward, and move the knee downward in a lunge. — NBC News, "Train like an athlete: 5 postpartum exercises the Lamoureux twins love," 7 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'backward.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send