The dog walked backward.
Source: tatoeba (239192)
Backward
/ˈbæk.wə(ɹ)d/
Synonyms for "backward" (404 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (81)
a prioria reboursa reculonsaboutafraidaftafterafter timeaftermostagainagainst the grainagoaloofanticlockwiseapatheticareararoundarrestedarsy-varsyascending
Show 53 more words
ass backwardsass over elbowsass-backwardsasternaverseawayaxialbabblingbackback whenback-flowingback-to-frontbackwardsbalkingbalkybarbarianbarbarousbashfulbehindbehind the timesbehind timebehindhandbelatedbelatedlybenightedbigotedblankblindblitheringblockedbottom side upbottom upburblingcapsizedcharycheckedchiasticchildishchilledchillycoarsecoldconservativeconstrainedcontrarilycontrariwiseconverselycoolcountercounterclockwisecoycrackbrainedcracked
Adjective(2 words)
Adjective(1 words)
back to front
Noun(2 words)
backslidingcount backward
Strong matches (121)
crazycretinisticcretinouscrudedallyingdeep intodefectivedelayeddelayed-actiondelayingdemuredescendingdetacheddetaineddie harddie-harddiffidentdilatorydillydallyingdim
Show 95 more words
dim-witteddiscreetdisinclineddistantditheringdown-trendingdownwarddriftingdrivelingdroolingdulldumbearlyeasygoingembryonicevertedex post factoexpressionlessfar onfeeblefeeblemindedflowingfluentflyingfogyishfoot draggingfoot-draggingforbiddingfrigidfrofrostygoinggone bygrudgingguardedgyrationalgyratoryhalf bakedhalf-bakedhalf-wittedhead over heelsheels over headheld uphesitanthideboundhindhinderhindermosthindhandhindmosthindwardhindwardshung uphyperbaticicyidioticignorantimbecileimbecilicimpassiveimpededimpersonalin a bindin abeyancein embryoin ovoin reversein the roughinaccessibleindifferentindisposedinside outinto the pastintrovertedinvaginatedinversedinverselyinvertedjammedlackadaisicallaggardlagginglatelatishlaxlazylingeringloathloiteringmaunderingmedievalmentally defectivementally deficientmentally handicappedmentally retarded
Adjective(2 words)
datedin reverse
Adjective(4 words)
Related words (202)
micawberishmodestmongoloidmoratorymoronicmountingnarrownever on timenone too soonnonprogressivenot all thereobstructedobtuseoffishold lineold-fashionedold-fogyishold-lineolympianopaque
Show 159 more words
opposed to changeoutside inoveroverdueoversimplepalindromicpassingperfunctoryplungingpoorposteriorposteriorlyposternpreservativeprocrastinatingprocrastinativeprocrastinatoryprogressivequietreactionaryrearrearmostrearwardrearwardsreductionisticreductivereflexreflowingrefluentregressivereluctantreminiscentlyremissremoteremovedrenitentrepressedreservedrestiverestrainedresupinateretardedreticentretiringretradretralretroactiveretroactivelyretrograderetrogressiveretrospectiveretrospectivelyretrovertedreversereversedright wingright-wingrisingrotaryrotationalrotatoryroughroughcastroughhewnroundround aboutruderudimentalrudimentaryrunningrushingself-effacingset backshrinkingshufflingshysidewardsimplesimplemindedsimpletoniansimplisticsincesinkingslackslobberingslowslow toslow-wittedslowed downsluggishsoaringstandoffstandoffishstandpatstoppedstreamingstrugglingstuntedstupidsubduedsubnormalsuppressedtailtailwardtailwardstardythickheadedtimidto the reartopsy-turvytransposedturned aroundultraconservativeunaffableunapproachableunassertiveunassuredunblownuncongenialuncultivateduncultureduncutundemonstrativeunderdevelopedundevelopeduneagerunenlightenedunenthusiasticunexpansiveunfashionedunfinishedunformedungenialunhewnuninformedunlaboredunlickedunpolishedunprocessedunprogressiveunpunctualunreadyunrefineduntimelyuntreatedunwillingunworkedunwroughtunzealousup-trendingupside downupside-downupwardvice versawiddershinswithdrawnwrong side outwrong-waywrong-way around
Adjective(9 words)
moral regressionoutdatedposteriorrearwardretrorserural familiesslow-wittedunderdevelopedundeveloped society
Noun(5 words)
Adjective(4 words)
Verb(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: a priori, a rebours, a reculons, aback, about.
- Sentence evidence is available for backward, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "backward".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "backward"
Keep "backward" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "backward" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "backward", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "backward" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
9 entriesbackward compatibilitybackward glancebackward motionbackward stepbackward thinkingbackward-lookinglook backwardmove backwardstep backward
Inflections
2 entriesmore backwardmost backward
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
2 entriessimilar
29 entriesShowing 16 of 29 words.
Translations
103 translations across 39 languages.
Bashkir
1 entries- артҡа adv (in the direction towards the back)
Bulgarian
3 entries- назад adj (in the direction towards the back)
- обратно adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- назад adv (in the direction towards the back)
Catalan
2 entries- retrògrad adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- enrere adv (in the direction towards the back)
Cherokee
1 entries- ᎠᏏᏂ adv (in the direction towards the back)
Chinese Mandarin
4 entries- 逆向 adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- 向後 /向后 adv (in the direction towards the back)
- 往後 /往后 adv (in the direction towards the back)
- 朝後 /朝后 adv (in the direction towards the back)
Czech
4 entries- vzad adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- dozadu adv (in the direction towards the back)
- vzad adv (in the direction towards the back)
- zpátky adv (in the direction towards the back)
Dutch
3 entries- achteruit adj (in the direction towards the back)
- achteruit adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- naar achteren adj (in the direction towards the back)
Esperanto
1 entries- malantaŭen adj (in the direction towards the back)
Farefare
1 entries- abilimpoore adv (in the direction towards the back)
Finnish
4 entries- peruuttava adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- taakse adj (in the direction towards the back)
- taaksepäin suuntautuva adj (in the direction towards the back)
- takaperoinen adj (in the direction towards the back)
French
3 entries- en arrière adj (in the direction towards the back)
- en arrière adv (in the direction towards the back)
- à reculons adv (in the direction towards the back)
Galician
2 entries- de costas adv (in the direction towards the back)
- para atrás adv (in the direction towards the back)
German
4 entries- nach hinten adj (in the direction towards the back)
- rückwärts adj (in the direction towards the back)
- rückwärts adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- zurück adj (in the direction towards the back)
Gothic
1 entries- 𐌹𐌱𐌿𐌺𐍃 adj (in the direction towards the back)
Greek
2 entries- ανάποδος adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- πίσω adv (in the direction towards the back)
Hungarian
4 entries- hátra adj (in the direction towards the back)
- vissza adj (in the direction towards the back)
- hátra adv (in the direction towards the back)
- hátrafelé adv (in the direction towards the back)
Icelandic
3 entries- aftur adj (in the direction towards the back)
- aftur á bak adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- aftur á bak adv (in the direction towards the back)
Ingrian
1 entries- takaperin adv (in the direction towards the back)
Irish
4 entries- ar gcúl adj (in the direction towards the back)
- ar gcúl adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- siar adj (in the direction towards the back)
- siar adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
Italian
2 entries- indietro adj (in the direction towards the back)
- retromarcia adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
Jamaican Creole
2 entries- back adj (in the direction towards the back)
- backway adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
Japanese
2 entries- 後ろへ adv (in the direction towards the back)
- 後方へ adv (in the direction towards the back)
Latin
2 entries- retrōrsum adv (in the direction towards the back)
- rūrsum adv (in the direction towards the back)
Malayalam
1 entries- പുറകോട്ട് adv (in the direction towards the back)
Mongolian
4 entries- аранш adv (in the direction towards the back)
- араншаа adv (in the direction towards the back)
- хойш adv (in the direction towards the back)
- хойшоо adv (in the direction towards the back)
Māori
1 entries- whakamuri adj (in the direction towards the back)
Occitan
1 entries- en rèire adv (in the direction towards the back)
Old Church Slavonic
1 entries- възнакъ adv (in the direction towards the back)
Polish
4 entries- do tyłu adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- w tył adj (in the direction towards the back)
- w tył adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- do tyłu adv (in the direction towards the back)
Portuguese
3 entries- atrás adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- de volta adj (in the direction towards the back)
- para trás adv (in the direction towards the back)
Romanian
4 entries- către spate adj (in the direction towards the back)
- regresiv adj (in the direction towards the back)
- spre-napoi adj (in the direction towards the back)
- înapoi adj (in the direction towards the back)
Russian
4 entries- наза́д adj (in the direction towards the back)
- обра́тно adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- наза́д adv (in the direction towards the back)
- обра́тно adv (in the direction towards the back)
Spanish
3 entries- retrógrado adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- atrás adv (in the direction towards the back)
- hacia atrás adv (in the direction towards the back)
Swedish
2 entries- baklänges adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
- bakåt adj (in the direction reverse of normal)
Tagalog
1 entries- patalikod adv (in the direction towards the back)
Turkish
1 entries- geri adj (in the direction towards the back)
Tuvan
1 entries- дедир adv (in the direction towards the back)
Ukrainian
1 entries- наза́д adv (in the direction towards the back)
Vietnamese
1 entries- ngược lại adv (in the direction towards the back)
Sample sentences
46 total sentences available.
Social conditions are going backward rather than forward.
Source: tatoeba (265351)
The actress fell backward over the stage.
Source: tatoeba (267336)
He fell backward.
Source: tatoeba (295395)
Showing 4 of 46 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "backward"?
Closest matches include a priori, a rebours, a reculons, aback, about.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "backward"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.