What are some opposite words for forward?

Antonyms for forward
ˈfɔr wərdfor·ward

This page is about all possible antonyms and opposite words for the term forward.

English Synonyms and Antonyms3.8 / 4 votes

  1. forward

    Antecedent may denote simple priority in time, implying no direct connection between that which goes before and that which follows; as, the striking of one clock may be always antecedent to the striking of another with no causal connection between them. Antecedent and previous may refer to that which goes or happens at any distance in advance, preceding is limited to that which is immediately or next before; an antecedent event may have happened at any time before; the preceding transaction is the one completed just before the one with which it is compared; a previous statement or chapter may be in any part of the book that has gone before; the preceding statement or chapter comes next before without an interval. Previous often signifies first by right; as, a previous engagement. Foregoing is used only of that which is spoken or written; as, the foregoing statements. Anterior, while it can be used of time, is coming to be employed chiefly with reference to place; as the anterior lobes of the brain. Prior bears exclusive reference to time, and commonly where that which is first in time is first also in right; as, a prior demand. Former is used of time, or of position in written or printed matter, not of space in general. We can say former times, a former chapter, etc., but not the former part of a garden; we should say the front part of the garden, the forward car of a train. Former has a close relation, or sharp contrast, with something following; the former always implies the latter, even when not fully expressed, as in Acts i, 1, and Eccles. vii, 10.

    Antonyms:
    after, concluding, consequent, following, hind, hinder, hindmost, later, latter, posterior, subsequent, succeeding

    Synonyms:
    antecedent, anterior, earlier, foregoing, former, front, introductory, precedent, preceding, preliminary, previous, prior

    Preposition:
    Such was the state of things previous to the revolution. [Previous to is often used adverbially, in constructions where previously to would be more strictly correct; as, these arrangements were made previous to my departure.]

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms5.0 / 2 votes

  1. forward

    Antonyms:
    tardy, backward, reluctant, indifferent, slow, retiring, modest

    Synonyms:
    advanced, ready, eager, anxious, obtrusive, self-assertive, impertinent, progressive, onward, confident, bold, presumptuous

Matched Categories

Princeton's WordNet5.0 / 3 votes

  1. forwardnoun

    the person who plays the position of forward in certain games, such as basketball, soccer, or hockey

    Antonyms:
    blate, converse, reversive, retroflexed, rearward, retracted, reverse, retral, transposed, cacuminal, regressive, bashful, self-referent, backswept, backward, receding(a), sweptback, retroflex, retrograde, reflexive, returning(a), inverse, reversed, regardant(ip), rearwards, backwards, back

  2. forwardadjective

    a position on a basketball, soccer, or hockey team

    Antonyms:
    regressive, returning(a), reverse, reversed, retroflex, inverse, sweptback, transposed, rearward, reflexive, regardant(ip), cacuminal, retral, self-referent, reversive, retracted, retroflexed, backswept, bashful, backward, receding(a), blate, converse, retrograde, back, rearwards, backwards

  3. forwardadjective

    at or near or directed toward the front

    "the forward section of the aircraft"; "a forward plunge down the stairs"; "forward motion"

    Antonyms:
    rearward, sweptback, retral, transposed, reverse, regressive, reversive, retroflexed, backward, backswept, cacuminal, retrograde, returning(a), receding(a), converse, reversed, self-referent, regardant(ip), reflexive, retroflex, bashful, retracted, blate, inverse, backwards, back, rearwards

    Synonyms:
    forward-moving, advancing

  4. forwardadjective

    used of temperament or behavior; lacking restraint or modesty

    "a forward child badly in need of discipline"

    Antonyms:
    regressive, blate, rearward, transposed, retroflexed, cacuminal, backward, reverse, bashful, retroflex, inverse, returning(a), converse, receding(a), retrograde, backswept, reflexive, reversed, reversive, sweptback, regardant(ip), self-referent, retracted, retral, back, backwards, rearwards

    Synonyms:
    forward-moving, advancing

  5. forwardadjective

    of the transmission gear causing forward movement in a motor vehicle

    "in a forward gear"

    Antonyms:
    inverse, reverse, retroflex, regressive, transposed, reversed, retral, converse, reflexive, backswept, reversive, cacuminal, self-referent, retracted, receding(a), retroflexed, blate, backward, rearward, returning(a), bashful, retrograde, regardant(ip), sweptback, back, rearwards, backwards

    Synonyms:
    forward-moving, advancing

  6. advancing, forward, forward-movingverb

    moving forward

    Antonyms:
    retroflex, backward, reversed, inverse, reversive, converse, receding(a), cacuminal, rearward, retracted, returning(a), backswept, reverse, retrograde, reflexive, regressive, sweptback, retral, retroflexed, bashful, regardant(ip), blate, self-referent, transposed, back, rearwards, backwards

    Synonyms:
    forward-moving, advancing

  7. forward, send onadverb

    send or ship onward from an intermediate post or station in transit

    "forward my mail"

    Antonyms:
    self-referent, retroflex, blate, backward, reverse, backswept, reflexive, rearward, regardant(ip), regressive, reversive, transposed, bashful, sweptback, retrograde, receding(a), reversed, retracted, cacuminal, converse, inverse, retral, returning(a), retroflexed, rearwards, backwards, back

    Synonyms:
    send on

  8. forward, forwards, frontward, frontwards, forrad, forrardadverb

    at or to or toward the front

    "he faced forward"; "step forward"; "she practiced sewing backward as well as frontward on her new sewing machine"; (`forrad' and `forrard' are dialectal variations)

    Antonyms:
    backswept, retroflex, rearward, retracted, backward, reverse, sweptback, cacuminal, receding(a), converse, regressive, retrograde, regardant(ip), retral, inverse, transposed, reflexive, blate, self-referent, reversive, bashful, reversed, retroflexed, returning(a), rearwards, back, backwards

    Synonyms:
    forrad, forrard, frontwards, forwards, frontward, ahead, forth, forrader, onwards, onward, fore

  9. forth, forward, onwardadverb

    forward in time or order or degree

    "from that time forth"; "from the sixth century onward"

    Antonyms:
    retral, backswept, backward, reversive, bashful, reverse, regardant(ip), retroflexed, transposed, rearward, retroflex, retracted, sweptback, cacuminal, reversed, blate, reflexive, receding(a), retrograde, converse, regressive, self-referent, returning(a), inverse, rearwards, backwards, back

    Synonyms:
    forrad, off, frontwards, forwards, frontward, ahead, forth, forrader, onwards, onward, fore, away, forrard

  10. ahead, forwardadverb

    toward the future; forward in time

    "I like to look ahead in imagination to what the future may bring"; "I look forward to seeing you"

    Antonyms:
    inverse, reflexive, blate, reversive, regressive, receding(a), reversed, retral, reverse, cacuminal, returning(a), bashful, retroflexed, backward, retroflex, backswept, retrograde, rearward, transposed, regardant(ip), self-referent, retracted, sweptback, converse, rearwards, backwards, back

    Synonyms:
    frontwards, before, forrader, onward, forrad, in the lead, onwards, in advance, forwards, forrard, in front, out front, forth, frontward, fore, ahead, beforehand

  11. ahead, onward, onwards, forward, forwards, forraderadverb

    in a forward direction

    "go ahead"; "the train moved ahead slowly"; "the boat lurched ahead"; "moved onward into the forest"; "they went slowly forward in the mud"

    Antonyms:
    retroflex, retrograde, cacuminal, receding(a), reverse, retral, regardant(ip), transposed, backswept, returning(a), reflexive, backward, retroflexed, regressive, converse, blate, rearward, reversive, inverse, retracted, self-referent, bashful, reversed, sweptback, backwards, rearwards, back

    Synonyms:
    frontwards, before, forrader, onward, forrad, in the lead, onwards, in advance, forwards, forrard, in front, out front, forth, frontward, fore, ahead, beforehand

  12. fore, forwardadverb

    near or toward the bow of a ship or cockpit of a plane

    "the captain went fore (or forward) to check the instruments"

    Antonyms:
    regardant(ip), backward, reverse, reversive, backswept, sweptback, receding(a), bashful, cacuminal, retrograde, retral, self-referent, reversed, retracted, returning(a), converse, reflexive, rearward, retroflexed, retroflex, blate, regressive, inverse, transposed, back, backwards, rearwards

    Synonyms:
    forrad, forrard, frontwards, forwards, frontward, ahead, forth, forrader, onwards, onward, fore

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words4.0 / 1 vote

  1. forwardadjective

    Synonyms:
    anterior, fore, overready, presumptuous, brazen, impertinent, obtrusive, intrusive, premature, precocious

  2. forwardverb

    Synonyms:
    advance, promote, accelerate, expedite, further, transmit, send, ship

How to use forward in a sentence?

  1. Trisha Peries:

    Overall, the budget is unlikely to help the economic situation significantly and does not give a strong indication of how it expects to meet its debt obligations going forward or how it expects to address the plummeting reserves, there is no clear indication of a move towards the IMF, as they continue to look for bilateral and multilateral support echoing the Central Bank of Sri Lanka roadmap.

  2. Rob Gleason:

    People can't get over that. They don't understand the whole process, so there's a lot of doubt in people's minds in Pennsylvania about the veracity of that election and elections moving forward.

  3. Josh Pikoff:

    >( CNN) The lights were on and tables set at Frog The Bull on Friday, as the restaurant in Austin, Texas, welcomed back customers to its dining areaIt was already an unforgettable day for owner David Fernandez, who for weeks had looked forward to reopening after the coronavirus stay-at-home order was lifted. But one customer's welcome back gift made the restaurant's return even more special for David Fernandez and his employees. A man and his family, who had visited the restaurant before, on Friday ordered a filet mignon, scallops, grilled steak and other items. The check came out to a hefty $ 337. But then the customer asked his server to double charge him. The server, 18-year-old Josh Pikoff, had never received such a request, so Josh Pikoff brought out David Fernandez to help. Read More david Fernandez said,' yes. ' But after the customer received his updated check with the double charge, he then added a $ 300 tip for Josh Pikoff and another $ 1,000.

  4. Joe Biden:

    Barbara Walters has always been an example of bravery and truth – breaking barriers while driving our nation forward. Her legacy will continue as an inspiration for all journalists.

  5. Michael Metcalfe:

    The economic impact would occur over months and years, not immediately. But financial markets are constantly trying to look forward and discount what's going to happen, but I think the real question will become political - that a large country has decided to leave the EU.

How to pronounce forward?

How to say forward in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

rankingword
#103back
#150after
#318following
#944later
#1403forward
#2901slow
#3815reverse
#4534subsequent
#4798latter
#10026modest
#12026backward
#12447reversed
#12694backwards
#13272inverse
#14720reluctant
#15167converse
#17158concluding
#17287posterior
#19227retiring
#19999succeeding
#22854hinder
#24087indifferent
#25298hind
#27348consequent
#37815reflexive
#38684retrograde
#43495retracted
#52817tardy
#54225regressive
#57769transposed
#74473bashful
#90539rearward
#266300hindmost
#269390retroflex

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    A synonym for scanty
    A Inaugurate
    B Dearth
    C Spurious
    D Gumption

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