What is another word for backward?

Synonyms for backward
ˈbæk wərdback·ward

This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word backward.

Wiktionary0.0 / 0 votes

  1. backwardadjective

    Synonyms:
    backwards

    Antonyms:
    forwards, forward

  2. backwardadverb

    Antonyms:
    progressive

  3. backwardadjective

    Pertaining to the direction towards the back.

    Synonyms:
    backwards

    Antonyms:
    forward, forwards

  4. backwardadjective

    Synonyms:
    retrograde

  5. backwardadjective

    Synonyms:
    third world

    Antonyms:
    forward

English Synonyms and Antonyms0.0 / 0 votes

  1. backward

    Reluctant (Latin re, back, and lucto, strive, struggle) signifies struggling against what one is urged or impelled to do, or is actually doing; averse (Latin a, from, and verto, turn) signifies turned away as with dislike or repugnance; loath (Anglo-Saxon lath, evil, hateful) signifies having a repugnance, disgust, or loathing for, tho the adjective loath is not so strong as the verb loathe. A dunce is always averse to study; a good student is disinclined to it when a fine morning tempts him out; he is indisposed to it in some hour of weariness. A man may be slow or backward in entering upon that to which he is by no means averse. A man is loath to believe evil of his friend, reluctant to speak of it, absolutely unwilling to use it to his injury. A legislator may be opposed to a certain measure, while not averse to what it aims to accomplish. Compare ANTIPATHY.

    Synonyms:
    averse, disinclined, indisposed, loath, opposed, reluctant, slow, unwilling

    Antonyms:
    desirous, disposed, eager, favorable, inclined, willing

Princeton's WordNet0.0 / 0 votes

  1. backwardadjective

    directed or facing toward the back or rear

    "a backward view"

    Synonyms:
    feebleminded, slow-witted, half-witted

    Antonyms:
    sassy, headlong, guardant(ip), nervy, smart, presumptuous, gardant(ip), cheeky, saucy, forward, full-face, self-assertive, brash, precocious, impertinent, wise, assumptive, fresh, headfirst, overbold, bumptious, overfamiliar, dynamical, dynamic, impudent, assuming, forrad, forrard, forwards, frontwards, frontward, ahead

  2. backwardadjective

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

    "a backward lover"

    Synonyms:
    feebleminded, slow-witted, half-witted

    Antonyms:
    self-assertive, forward, gardant(ip), headlong, assuming, bumptious, overfamiliar, impudent, wise, brash, presumptuous, dynamical, fresh, assumptive, headfirst, impertinent, precocious, smart, nervy, saucy, full-face, sassy, guardant(ip), dynamic, overbold, cheeky, ahead, forwards, frontward, frontwards, forrad, forrard

  3. backward, half-witted, slow-witted, feeblemindedadjective

    retarded in intellectual development

    Synonyms:
    feebleminded, slow-witted, half-witted

    Antonyms:
    overfamiliar, wise, headfirst, nervy, sassy, guardant(ip), brash, gardant(ip), forward, fresh, cheeky, presumptuous, smart, dynamic, headlong, assumptive, full-face, impudent, self-assertive, precocious, dynamical, bumptious, saucy, impertinent, overbold, assuming, forrad, frontwards, forwards, forrard, ahead, frontward

  4. backwardadverb

    having made less than normal progress

    "an economically backward country"

    Synonyms:
    feebleminded, slow-witted, half-witted

    Antonyms:
    smart, assumptive, gardant(ip), overfamiliar, brash, guardant(ip), saucy, cheeky, assuming, overbold, dynamic, fresh, impudent, presumptuous, impertinent, sassy, headlong, bumptious, self-assertive, wise, precocious, dynamical, headfirst, full-face, forward, nervy, forrard, frontward, ahead, forwards, frontwards, forrad

  5. back, backward, backwards, rearward, rearwardsadverb

    at or to or toward the back or rear

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

    Synonyms:
    backwards, rearwards, back, rearward

    Antonyms:
    assuming, gardant(ip), full-face, nervy, forward, headfirst, precocious, dynamical, overbold, overfamiliar, dynamic, brash, wise, guardant(ip), self-assertive, bumptious, saucy, sassy, smart, fresh, assumptive, impudent, presumptuous, impertinent, cheeky, headlong, frontwards, forwards, forrad, ahead, frontward, forrard

  6. backward, backwardsadverb

    in a manner or order or direction the reverse of normal

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

    Synonyms:
    backwards, rearwards, back, rearward

    Antonyms:
    forward, headlong, presumptuous, impudent, overfamiliar, impertinent, smart, sassy, assumptive, gardant(ip), wise, nervy, overbold, cheeky, full-face, dynamical, precocious, saucy, self-assertive, fresh, headfirst, dynamic, guardant(ip), brash, bumptious, assuming, frontward, forrad, forrard, ahead, frontwards, forwards

  7. back, backwardadverb

    in or to or toward a past time

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

    Synonyms:
    backwards, rearwards, back, rearward

    Antonyms:
    gardant(ip), fresh, assuming, dynamical, impertinent, headlong, dynamic, saucy, forward, bumptious, assumptive, overbold, impudent, self-assertive, smart, overfamiliar, presumptuous, cheeky, wise, sassy, full-face, headfirst, nervy, guardant(ip), brash, precocious, frontward, frontwards, forrard, ahead, forwards, forrad

Dictionary of English Synonymes0.0 / 0 votes

  1. backwardadjective

    Synonyms:
    averse, unwilling, reluctant, loath, disinclined, indisposed, wavering, hesitating

  2. backwardadjective

    Synonyms:
    dull, sluggish, slow, stupid, stolid

  3. backwardadjective

    Synonyms:
    late, tardy, behindhand, after the usual time

  4. backwardadjective

    Synonyms:
    regressively, rearwards, aback, behind, ABAFT

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words0.0 / 0 votes

  1. backwardadjective

    Synonyms:
    retrograde, retrogressive, reverse, regressive, retrospective, reluctant, averse, loath, disinclined, unwilling, dull, inapt, late, tardy, delayed, undeveloped

How to pronounce backward?

How to say backward in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

rankingword
#103back
#1531behind
#2901slow
#6114opposed
#10841upstream
#12026backward
#12662outdated
#12694backwards
#14720reluctant
#19481aft
#19538unwilling
#21061overdue
#23918arrears
#25419backlog
#36202lagging
#38684retrograde
#43252averse
#43914underdeveloped
#44872backspace
#54225regressive
#78508loath
#90539rearward
#96428backwardness
#119355disinclined
#173035indisposed
#226482retrogressive

How to use backward in a sentence?

  1. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock:

    You see, as progressives we're not interested in making our country anything again, we're not looking backward. We're looking to the future. We're interested in the future and making America better than it ever has been.

  2. H. Stanley Judd:

    Every time a child is harmed, HUMANITY takes a backward step

  3. President Biden:

    The trans-Atlantic alliance is back, and we are not looking backward. We are looking forward, together.

  4. Anna Mary Robertson Moses:

    A strange thing is memory, and hope one looks backward, and the other forward one is of today, the other of tomorrow. Memory is history recorded in our brain, memory is a painter, it paints pictures of the past and of the day.

  5. Ashu Shamy:

    sometimes when moving forward in life leads you to no where, one best option is to start moving backward" Ashu Shamy


Translations for backward

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • изостанал, назад, обратноBulgarian
  • enrereCatalan, Valencian
  • vzad, zpátky, dozaduCzech
  • antiquiert, zurück, rückwärtsgewandt, zurückgeblieben, altmodisch, gehemmt, nach hinten, überholt, rückständig, unterentwickelt, rückwärts, zurückgewandt, zögerlichGerman
  • οπισθοδρομικός, παλιομοδίτικος, πίσω, ανάποδος, υπανάπτυκτοςGreek
  • atrasado, rezagado, retrógrado, anticuado, pasado de modaSpanish
  • takapajuinen, saamaton, vanhanaikainen, takaperin, taaksepäin, alikehittynyt, syrjäänvetäytyvä, taantumuksellinen, takaperoinen, päinvastainen, peruuttaaFinnish
  • en arrière, arriéré, sous-développéFrench
  • mundur ke belakangIndonesian
  • 後方, 後ろJapanese
  • دواکه‌وتوKurdish
  • whakamuriMāori
  • achteruitDutch
  • archaiczny, do tyłu, tył, przestarzały, z powrotemPolish
  • atrasado, retrógradoPortuguese
  • înapoi, către spate, spre-napoi, îndărăt, regresivRomanian
  • назад, обратно, обратный, отсталый, заднийRussian
  • bakom, bakåt, baklänges, bakåtsträvandeSwedish
  • patalikodTagalog
  • geriyeTurkish
  • پسماندہUrdu
  • 落後Chinese

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"backward." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/backward>.

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    An antonym for "disparage"
    A minimize
    B blandish
    C diminish
    D belittle

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