Standard Lemma guide

backward

adj · adv · noun · verb · 34 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈbæk.wə(ɹ)d/
  • US: băk'wərd
  • US: /ˈbækwɚd/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: B AE1 K W ER0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Indicating position or direction.

Situated toward or at the rear of something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The silt collects in the backward part of the tank.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Indicating position or direction.

Acting or moving in the direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a backward tilt of the head

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Indicating position or direction.

Acting or moving in the direction opposite to the usual direction of movement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The occasional apparent backward movement of planets is evidence that they revolve around the sun.
  • Engage the lock to prevent backward rotation of the wheel.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: retrograde

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Indicating position or direction.

Acting or moving oppositely to the desired direction of progress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • This is a backward step for the country.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Indicating position or direction.

Reversed in order or sequence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • This backward writing is hard to read.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Expressing lack of development or advancement.

Retarded in development; not as advanced as would be expected.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • The child is backward in his school work.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

Expressing lack of development or advancement.

Of a culture, country, practice etc., undeveloped or unsophisticated.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • They were a backward people without any writing.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adj

Meaning 8

Expressing lack of development or advancement.

Slow to apprehend; having difficulties in learning.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • a backward child

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

adj

Meaning 9

Expressing lack of development or advancement.

Lacking progressive or enlightened thought; outdated.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • The party’s ideas and policies are very backward.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: antediluvian, antiquated, backwards, parachronistic, retrograde, anachronistic, antediluvial, antique, archaic, backward, behind the times, cobwebbed, cobwebby, dated, defunct, desuete, discontinued, disused, dootsie, elderly, extinct, expired, fossilized, Havishamesque, hoary, idle, Miss Havishamesque, mouldy, obsolete, old, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old school, outdated, outmoded, out of date, out of fashion, outworn, passé, primitive, superannuated, superseded, unemployed, unoccupied, venerable, workless

Antonyms: progressive

10

adj

Meaning 10

Expressing lack of development or advancement.

Late or behindhand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • a backward season

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: overdue, tardy, backward, behindhand, belated, late, lated

Antonyms: none provided

11

adj

Meaning 11

Reluctant or unwilling to advance or act; shy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: often

Examples

  • She certainly isn’t backward in coming forward!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

adj

Meaning 12

Of a pawn, further behind than pawns of the same colour on adjacent files and unable to be moved forward safely.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: board-games, chess, games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

adj

Meaning 13

On that part of the field behind the batsman's popping crease.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: ball-games, cricket, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

adj

Meaning 14

Further behind the batsman's popping crease than something else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: ball-games, cricket, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

adj

Meaning 15

Unwilling; averse; reluctant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

adj

Meaning 16

Already past or gone; bygone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: forepast, historical, backward, bygone, foregone, forepassed, historic, hoary, long ago, olden, past, preterite

Antonyms: none provided

17

adv

Meaning 17

At, near or towards the rear of something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The passenger turned around and walked backward, towards the tail of the aircraft.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

adv

Meaning 18

In a direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing or normally pointing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He tilted his head backward.
  • The grandfather clock toppled backward and crashed to the ground.
  • Her arm was bent backward at an odd angle.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

adv

Meaning 19

In a direction opposite to the usual direction of movement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • In reverse gear the wheel turns backward.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

20

adv

Meaning 20

Oppositely to the desired direction of progress, or from a better to a worse state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • This project seems to be going backward.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

21

adv

Meaning 21

In a reversed orientation; back to front.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He had his cap on backward.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

22

adv

Meaning 22

In a reversed order or sequence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A palindrome reads the same backward as forward.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

23

adv

Meaning 23

Toward or into the past.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • As we begin the new millennium, it behoves us to look backward as well as forward.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

24

adv

Meaning 24

In the past.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

25

adv

Meaning 25

By way of reflection; reflexively.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

26

noun

Meaning 26

The state behind or past.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

27

verb

Meaning 27

To keep back, to delay, to retard.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

28

adjective

Meaning 28

directed or facing toward the back or rear

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a backward view

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: forward

29

adjective

Meaning 29

(used of temperament or behavior) marked by a retiring nature

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a backward lover

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: forward

30

adjective satellite

Meaning 30

having made less than normal progress

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an economically backward country

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

31

adjective satellite

Meaning 31

retarded in intellectual development

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: half-witted, slow-witted, feebleminded

Antonyms: none provided

32

adverb

Meaning 32

in or to or toward a past time

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • set the clocks back an hour
  • never look back
  • lovers of the past looking fondly backward

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: back

Antonyms: forward

33

adverb

Meaning 33

at or to or toward the back or rear

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he moved back
  • tripped when he stepped backward
  • she looked rearward out the window of the car

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: back, backwards, rearward, rearwards

Antonyms: forward

34

adverb

Meaning 34

in a manner or order or direction the reverse of normal

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it's easy to get the `i' and the `e' backward in words like `seize' and `siege'
  • the child put her jersey on backward

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: backwards

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English bakwarde, abakward, equivalent to back (adverb) + -ward. Cognate with Old Frisian bekward (“backward”).

Across languages

Translations

170 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: назад (nazad) — in the direction towards the back
  • Dutch: achteruit — in the direction towards the back
  • Dutch: naar achteren — in the direction towards the back
  • Esperanto: malantaŭen — in the direction towards the back
  • Finnish: takaperoinen — in the direction towards the back
  • Finnish: taaksepäin suuntautuva — in the direction towards the back
  • Finnish: taakse — in the direction towards the back
  • French: en arrière — in the direction towards the back
  • German: zurück — in the direction towards the back
  • German: nach hinten — in the direction towards the back
  • German: rückwärts — in the direction towards the back
  • Gothic: 𐌹𐌱𐌿𐌺𐍃 (ibuks) — in the direction towards the back
  • Hungarian: vissza — in the direction towards the back
  • Hungarian: hátra — in the direction towards the back
  • Icelandic: aftur — in the direction towards the back
  • Irish: siar — in the direction towards the back
  • Irish: ar gcúl — in the direction towards the back
  • Italian: indietro — in the direction towards the back
  • Jamaican Creole: back — in the direction towards the back
  • Māori: whakamuri — in the direction towards the back
  • Polish: w tył — in the direction towards the back
  • Portuguese: de volta — in the direction towards the back
  • Romanian: înapoi — in the direction towards the back
  • Romanian: spre-napoi — in the direction towards the back
  • Romanian: către spate — in the direction towards the back
  • Romanian: regresiv — in the direction towards the back
  • Romanian: îndărăt — in the direction towards the back
  • Russian: наза́д (nazád) — in the direction towards the back
  • Turkish: geri — in the direction towards the back
  • Bulgarian: обратно (obratno) — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Catalan: retrògrad — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Chinese Mandarin: 逆向 (nìxiàng) — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Czech: vzad — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Dutch: achteruit — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Finnish: takaperoinen — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Finnish: peruuttava — in the direction reverse of normal
  • German: rückwärts — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Greek: ανάποδος (anápodos) — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Icelandic: aftur á bak — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Irish: siar — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Irish: ar gcúl — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Italian: retromarcia — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Jamaican Creole: backway — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Polish: w tył — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Polish: do tyłu — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Portuguese: atrás — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Romanian: înapoi — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Romanian: îndărăt — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Russian: обра́тно (obrátno) — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Spanish: retrógrado — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Swedish: bakåt — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Swedish: baklänges — in the direction reverse of normal
  • Bulgarian: назадничав (nazadničav) — reluctant to advance
  • Finnish: vastahakoinen — reluctant to advance
  • Finnish: saamaton — reluctant to advance
  • Finnish: arka — reluctant to advance
  • French: arriéré — reluctant to advance
  • German: zögerlich — reluctant to advance
  • German: gehemmt — reluctant to advance
  • Italian: riluttante — reluctant to advance
  • Central Kurdish: دواکەوتو (dwakewtu) — reluctant to advance
  • Portuguese: retrógrado — reluctant to advance
  • Swedish: bakåtsträvande — reluctant to advance
  • Arabic: مُتَخَلِّف (mutaḵallif) — undeveloped
  • Arabic: متخلف (mitḵallif) — undeveloped
  • Bulgarian: изостанал (izostanal) — undeveloped
  • Catalan: endarrerit — undeveloped
  • Czech: zaostalý — undeveloped
  • Dutch: onderontwikkeld — undeveloped
  • Finnish: takapajuinen — undeveloped
  • Finnish: kehittymätön — undeveloped
  • Finnish: alikehittynyt — undeveloped
  • French: arriéré — undeveloped
  • German: rückständig — undeveloped
  • German: unterentwickelt — undeveloped
  • German: zurückgeblieben — undeveloped
  • German: zurückgewandt — undeveloped
  • Greek: υπανάπτυκτος (ypanáptyktos) — undeveloped
  • Hungarian: fejletlen — undeveloped
  • Icelandic: vanþróaður — undeveloped
  • Irish: cúlánta — undeveloped
  • Irish: ar gcúl — undeveloped
  • Italian: indietro — undeveloped
  • Central Kurdish: دواکەوتو (dwakewtu) — undeveloped
  • Malayalam: പിന്നോക്ക (pinnōkka) — undeveloped
  • Marathi: मागासलेला (māgāslelā) — undeveloped
  • Marathi: मागासलेली (māgāslelī) — undeveloped
  • Marathi: मागासलेले (māgāslele) — undeveloped
  • Portuguese: retrógrado — undeveloped
  • Portuguese: atrasado — undeveloped
  • Romanian: înapoiat — undeveloped
  • Russian: отста́лый (otstályj) — undeveloped
  • Spanish: atrasado — undeveloped
  • Spanish: rezagado — undeveloped
  • Spanish: subdesarrollado — undeveloped
  • Spanish: tercermundista — undeveloped
  • Swedish: bakom — undeveloped
  • Walloon: eriré — undeveloped
  • Bulgarian: старомоден (staromoden) — of an idea: outdated
  • Catalan: antiquat — of an idea: outdated
  • Catalan: retrògrad — of an idea: outdated
  • Catalan: demodé — of an idea: outdated
  • Dutch: achterhaald — of an idea: outdated
  • Finnish: vanhakantainen — of an idea: outdated
  • German: altmodisch — of an idea: outdated
  • German: rückwärtsgewandt — of an idea: outdated
  • German: rückständig — of an idea: outdated
  • German: überholt — of an idea: outdated
  • German: antiquiert — of an idea: outdated
  • Greek: παλιομοδίτικος (paliomodítikos) — of an idea: outdated
  • Greek: οπισθοδρομικός (opisthodromikós) — of an idea: outdated
  • Icelandic: úreltur — of an idea: outdated
  • Irish: fágtha — of an idea: outdated
  • Italian: antiquato — of an idea: outdated
  • Italian: fuori moda — of an idea: outdated
  • Polish: przestarzały — of an idea: outdated
  • Polish: archaiczny — of an idea: outdated
  • Portuguese: antiquado — of an idea: outdated
  • Spanish: pasado de moda — of an idea: outdated
  • Spanish: retrógrado — of an idea: outdated
  • Spanish: anticuado — of an idea: outdated
  • Spanish: trasnochado — of an idea: outdated
  • Spanish: desactualizado — of an idea: outdated
  • Walloon: aviyi — of an idea: outdated
  • Walloon: foû môde — of an idea: outdated
  • Bashkir: артҡа (artqa) — in the direction towards the back
  • Catalan: enrere — in the direction towards the back
  • Cherokee: ᎠᏏᏂ (asini) — in the direction towards the back
  • Chinese Mandarin: 向後 /向后 (xiànghòu) — in the direction towards the back
  • Chinese Mandarin: 往後 /往后 (wǎnghòu) — in the direction towards the back
  • Chinese Mandarin: 朝後 /朝后 (cháohòu) — in the direction towards the back
  • Czech: zpátky — in the direction towards the back
  • Czech: dozadu — in the direction towards the back
  • Czech: vzad — in the direction towards the back
  • Farefare: abilimpoore — in the direction towards the back
  • Finnish: taaksepäin — in the direction towards the back
  • Finnish: takaperin — in the direction towards the back
  • French: à reculons — in the direction towards the back
  • Galician: para atrás — in the direction towards the back
  • Galician: de costas — in the direction towards the back
  • Greek: πίσω (píso) — in the direction towards the back
  • Hungarian: hátrafelé — in the direction towards the back
  • Icelandic: aftur á bak — in the direction towards the back
  • Ingrian: takaperin — in the direction towards the back
  • Japanese: 後ろへ (ushiro e) — in the direction towards the back
  • Japanese: 後方へ (kōhō e) — in the direction towards the back
  • Latin: rūrsum — in the direction towards the back
  • Latin: retrōrsum — in the direction towards the back
  • Malayalam: പുറകോട്ട് (puṟakōṭṭŭ) — in the direction towards the back
  • Mongolian: ᠬᠣᠶᠢᠰᠢ (qoyisi) — in the direction towards the back
  • Mongolian: ᠬᠣᠶᠢᠰᠢ ᠪᠠᠨ (qoyisi-ban) — in the direction towards the back
  • Mongolian: ᠠᠷᠤᠨᠰᠢ (arunsi) — in the direction towards the back
  • Mongolian: ᠠᠷᠤᠨᠰᠢ ᠪᠠᠨ (arunsi-ban) — in the direction towards the back
  • Mongolian: хойш (xojš) — in the direction towards the back
  • Mongolian: хойшоо (xojšoo) — in the direction towards the back
  • Mongolian: аранш (aranš) — in the direction towards the back
  • Mongolian: араншаа (aranšaa) — in the direction towards the back
  • Occitan: en rèire — in the direction towards the back
  • Old Church Slavonic: възнакъ (vŭznakŭ) — in the direction towards the back
  • Polish: do tyłu — in the direction towards the back
  • Polish: z powrotem — in the direction towards the back
  • Portuguese: para trás — in the direction towards the back
  • Russian: обра́тно (obrátno) — in the direction towards the back
  • Spanish: atrás — in the direction towards the back
  • Spanish: hacia atrás — in the direction towards the back
  • Tagalog: patalikod — in the direction towards the back
  • Tuvan: дедир (dedir) — in the direction towards the back
  • Ukrainian: наза́д (nazád) — in the direction towards the back
  • Vietnamese: ngược lại — in the direction towards the back
  • Finnish: menneisyys — state behind or past
Real reading context

backward in complete knowledge articles

Tenjiku shogi History & culture · Challenging · 23 uses Bird feet and legs Ideas & learning · Challenging · 4 uses