noun · 4 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:/bækwəˈdeɪʃn̩/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/bækwəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪʃən
CMU ARPABET:B AE2 K W ER0 D EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
In full normal backwardation: the situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity (the forward price) is lower than the price for immediate delivery (the spot price) or nearer delivery, generally arising from a near-term shortage of the commodity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: business, finance, stock-market
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: contango, forwardation
2
noun
Meaning 2
A situation in which short-term interest rates are higher than long-term interest rates.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: business, finance, stock-market
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The situation in a stock market where the offer price for stock is lower than the bid price.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: business, finance, stock-market
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
In the London Stock Exchange: a fee paid by a seller on settlement day either to the buyer or to a third party who lends stock, when the seller wishes to defer settlement until the next settlement day.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
Topics: business, finance, stock-market
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: contango
History
Etymology
From backward + -ation (suffix denoting an action or process).
Across languages
Translations
15 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Esperanto:
diporto
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Finnish:
laskeva futuurikäyrä
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Finnish:
backwardation
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Ido:
diporto
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Kazakh:
депорт
(deport)
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Kyrgyz:
депорт
(deport)
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Persian:
وارونگی
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Polish:
deport
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Russian:
бэквардейшн
(bɛkvardejšn)
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Russian:
бэкуордейшн
(bɛkuordejšn)
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Russian:
бэквордация
(bɛkvordacija)
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Ukrainian:
беквордація
(bekvordacija)
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Uzbek:
bekvordeyshn
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Vietnamese:
bù hoãn bán
— situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity is lower than prices for immediate or nearer delivery
Finnish:
myyntihinnan alemmuus ostohintaan verrattuna
— situation in a stock market where the offer price for stock is lower than the bid price
