Synonyms for backward
ˈbæk wərd

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. backward(adj)

   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. backward(adj)

   (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, feebleminded(adj)

   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. backward(adverb)

   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, rearwards(adverb)

   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, backwards(adverb)

   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, backward(adverb)

   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

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. backward(adjective)

   Synonyms:
   backwards

   Antonyms:
   forward, forwards

2. backward(adverb)

   Antonyms:
   progressive

3. backward(adjective)

   Pertaining to the direction towards the back.

   Synonyms:
   backwards

   Antonyms:
   forwards, forward

4. backward(adjective)

   Synonyms:
   retrograde

5. backward(adjective)

   Synonyms:
   third world

   Antonyms:
   forward

English Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

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

Dictionary of English Synonymes(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. backward(a.)

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

2. backward(a.)

   Synonyms:
   dull, sluggish, slow, stupid, stolid

3. backward(a.)

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

4. backward(ad.)

   Synonyms:
   regressively, rearwards, aback, behind, ABAFT

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. backward(a)

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

PPDB, the paraphrase database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these paraphrases:

1. List of paraphrases for "backward":

   backwardness, rearward, backwards, retrograde, back, underdeveloped, retrogressive, backward-looking, regressive, overdue, behind, rearwards, arrears, upstream, outdated, lagging, backlog, out-dated, backspace, aft

How to pronounce backward?

Alex

US English

Daniel

British

Karen

Australian

Veena

Indian

How to say backward in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use backward in a sentence?

1. Clifford Hart:

   International anti-trafficking standards have evolved, standing still is slipping backward in the face of a growing global challenge.

2. Gavin Newsom:

   As other states and the federal government go backward, restricting reproductive freedom, in California we are moving forward, expanding access and reaffirming a woman's right( to) choose, we're removing barriers to reproductive health -- increasing access on college campuses and using technology to modernize how patients interact with providers.

3. Jay Nixon:

   This extreme measure would take our state backward, squeeze the middle-class, lower wages for Missouri families, and subject businesses to criminal and unlimited civil liability, right-to-work is wrong for Missouri, it’s wrong for the middle-class – and it must never become the law of the Show-Me State.

4. Herbert Butterfield:

   The academic mind can eat away the very basis of its own assurance ... produce contortions when it tries to bend over backward ... allow itself to be dismayed by the picture it has created of relentless historical process.

5. Brian Driscoll:

   She was happy to bend over backward to continue to work and do all these things with her chin up. She knew her role and she did it with this certain pride, i thought it was really beautiful to be able to document that.

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