Backwards
adj, adv, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 third-person singular simple present indicative of backward form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person
- 1 Synonym of backward; see usage notes there.
- 1 Synonym of backward; see usage notes there.
"The length of the stoppages could not well be reduced; indeed, they are already too short if we are to believe the tale now current of a wandering Jew sort of passenger—a lady of advanced years who can only alight from a train backwards. Every time she begins to get out a porter rushes up crying "Hurry up, ma'am; train's going!"—and pushes her in again!"
- 1 at or to or toward the back or rear wordnet
- 2 in a manner or order or direction the reverse of normal wordnet
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"In tennis and ping-pong backhand the hand is turned backwards in making the stroke."
Etymology
From backward + -s. See also -s (“used in the formation of certain adverbs: backwards, downwards, inwards, etc.”).
From Middle English bakwardis, bakwardis, a variant of Middle English bakwarde, bakward (“backward”). Equivalent to backward + -s. Compare Saterland Frisian bäkove (“backwards”).
An inflection.
Related phrases
More for "backwards"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.