Synonyms for Forward
ˈfɔr wərdfor·ward

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.8 / 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.

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

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

   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 AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 2 votes

1. forward

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

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

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:5.0 / 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"

   Synonyms:
   forward-moving, advancing

   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

4. forwardadjective

   used of temperament or behavior; lacking restraint or modesty

   "a forward child badly in need of discipline"

   Synonyms:
   forward-moving, advancing

   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

5. forwardadjective

   of the transmission gear causing forward movement in a motor vehicle

   "in a forward gear"

   Synonyms:
   forward-moving, advancing

   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

6. advancing, forward, forward-movingverb

   moving forward

   Synonyms:
   forward, forward-moving, advancing

   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

7. forward, send onadverb

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

   "forward my mail"

   Synonyms:
   forward, send on

   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

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)

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

   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

9. forth, forward, onwardadverb

   forward in time or order or degree

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

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

   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

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"

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

    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

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"

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

    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

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"

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

    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

Matched Categories

1. • Basketball Player

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. further

   further is a synonym for forward.

   i could not go further with my aching legs!

   Submitted by anonymous on June 1, 2020  

2. promote

   she promotes the ideal of minimalism by organizing some workshops during weekends.

   Submitted by marinahalim on June 1, 2020  

3. onward

   in a continuing forward direction; ahead.

   we were onward from the other racers.

   Submitted by anonymous on April 6, 2021  

4. escheat

   the term is “to remit to”. to “forward” would be better even than “revert”.

   the property was forwarded to the comptroller.

   Submitted by Javiously3000 on March 7, 2021  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. forwardadjective

   Synonyms:
   onward, progressively, not backward

2. forwardadjective

   Synonyms:
   onward, progressive

3. forwardadjective

   Synonyms:
   front, fore, at the fore part, near the fore part

4. forwardadjective

   Synonyms:
   ready, prompt, willing, eager, earnest, zealous

5. forwardadjective

   Synonyms:
   bold, confident, presumptuous, presuming, impertinent, pert, flippant, brazen, assuming, brazen-faced, BRASSY, CHEEKY

6. forwardadjective

   Synonyms:
   early, premature

7. forwardverb

   Synonyms:
   advance, promote, further, foster, support, favor, encourage, help on, help forward

8. forwardverb

   Synonyms:
   quicken, hasten, accelerate, expedite, speed, despatch, hurry

9. forwardverb

   Synonyms:
   transmit, send on, send forward

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 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

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:5.0 / 1 vote

1. List of paraphrases for "forward":

   forwards, ahead, forwarding, transmit, forth, imam, eagerly, before, send, advance, impatiently, advanced, future, further, progress, resend, front, convey, forward-looking, prior

Suggested Resources

1. Forward

   Foreword vs. Forward -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Foreword and Forward.

How to pronounce Forward?

How to say Forward in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use Forward in a sentence?

1. David Wilcox:

   At the end of 2018 it looked like the economy was moving forward in a continued solid manner, the risks were predominantly to the upside and it was not prominent on our radar screen or anybody's that the trade war's machinations would be taken to the extent that they have been...The news from abroad, by wide consensus, has been disappointing.

2. Tanner Houck:

   I’d much rather this team get a win and continue to go forward.

3. Christian Taylor:

   Whether they go through with it or not, it (dropping the triple jump) is something that is going to be on the back of all the jumpers' minds going forward and that is not an easy position to be in.

4. Ron Johnson:

   I am concerned that ICE is attempting to identify and retaliate against whistleblowers who revealed a lack of cooperation between USCIS and ICE in the aftermath of the terror attacks in San Bernardino, those who have the courage to come forward should not be retaliated against.

5. Simon Coveney:

   It's just not true, we are putting forward alternatives.