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as in withdrawn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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of backward
Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
Frantic editing ensures that scenes flash forward and backward in time, sometimes within a minute: these alternating shots work like a visual metronome, ticking from side to side.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 16 May 2025
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Some of the fossil’s features suggest monotremes might have evolved from living in the water to land — and could explain the bizarre, backward feet echidnas have today.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backward
Adverb
In Calorie Count, titling the Joy-Con moves characters forward and backward.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
Frantic editing ensures that scenes flash forward and backward in time, sometimes within a minute: these alternating shots work like a visual metronome, ticking from side to side.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 16 May 2025
Adjective
There is no more tempting occasion for the backward glance; what’s remarkable is how many glancers there have already been in the course of decades past.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Some of the fossil’s features suggest monotremes might have evolved from living in the water to land — and could explain the bizarre, backward feet echidnas have today.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backward
Adverb
-
After losing the first two sets, Agassi surges back to beat Andrei Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
-
There will always be people who try to push you back.—
Susan Miller,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
Adverb
-
That City win — PSG’s first comeback from 2-0 down since May 2012, and their only ever in the Champions League — was a coming-of-age performance.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
-
Chris sits back down in his chair, his arm now around a 1976 bicentennial Gibson Firebird that Tom Petty used to play a month of shows at The Fillmore in the ’90s.—
Josh Brolin,
Billboard,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
Besides a decrease in consumer spending, others include the prevalence of reverse gentrification, an increase in secondhand shopping and rising unemployment rates.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
2 June 2025
-
Now, exosomes are in moisturizers, serums, and hair injectables, promising to repair your skin barrier, boost collagen production, and reverse aging.—
Boutayna Chokrane,
Wired News,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
For children, especially, these stressors can quickly lead to meltdowns or withdrawn behavior.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
-
My main criticism is its withdrawn camera, which is set too far away from the action in most stages.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Each is wrapped in graceful exterior lines and curves that sweep rearward from a massive hood that evokes a classic Jaguar XKE from the 1960’s.—
Jim Gorzelany,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
-
As do the side vents, and the hood lines that start from the badge and flare outward and rearward, giving the front end more presence.—
Sean Evans,
Robb Report,
5 Aug. 2024
Adverb
-
Defense created easy offense and in the halfcourt, the ball skipped around.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2025
-
Some of that is related to how much safety Derwin James Jr. moves around.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
The mogul has never been shy about expressing his ambitions.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
2 June 2025
-
Allen also hasn't been shy with his praise for his now-wife, particularly her support of his football career.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
Nunes’ lone loss during her dominant stretch came against Peña.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
-
The lone exception was Heather Wilson, president of the University of Texas at El Paso and a former Republican member of the House of Representatives and Secretary of the Air Force during the first Trump administration.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backward. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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