Backwards

//ˈbækwɜːdz//

Synonyms for "backwards" (62 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (13)

against the grain arsy varsy ass backwards astern away awkward back to front

Adjective(3 words)

antediluvial antediluvian backward

Adverb(2 words)

back backward

Adverb(1 words)

backward

Strong matches (18)

Adjective(9 words)

bad defunct deprecated elderly extinct fusty ham-fisted havishamesque idle

Adverb(1 words)

contrarily

contrariwise counterclockwise crude everted fro head over heels hindwards inside

Related words (31)

inside out introverted inversely inverted mirror image other way round over retroflexively reversed topsy turvy topsy-turvy transposed turned around upside down vice versa widdershins

Adjective(11 words)

miserable obsolete old school old-fashioned ossified outmoded primitive superannuated unemployed unskilled venerable

Adverb(2 words)

rearward rearwards

Adverb(2 words)

retroflexively the other way round

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

7 relation types

Antonyms

1 entries

forwards

Synonyms

6 entries

awkward back to front contrariwise crude hindwards mirror image

Related terms

19 entries

downwards eastwards forwards homewards inwards landwards leewards northwards outwards seawards shorewards sidewards skywards southwards sternwards towards

Showing 16 of 19 words.

derived

5 entries

ass-backwards backwards-compatible backwardsness look as if one has been dragged through a hedge backwards

etymologically related_to

1 entries

has context

1 entries

derogatory

related to

29 entries

back backward behind clumsy current downwards eastwards forwards homewards inefficient inept inwards landwards leewards northwards opposite

Showing 16 of 29 words.

Sample sentences

12 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

In tennis and ping-pong backhand the hand is turned backwards in making the stroke.

Source: tatoeba (39397)

You've got your priorities backwards.

Source: tatoeba (43035)

Rev. King fell backwards, shot in the neck.

Source: tatoeba (63064)

Say the alphabet backwards.

Source: tatoeba (67287)

Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.

More for "backwards"

Meaning Antonyms Sentences Word Type

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.