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

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How to use backward in a sentence?

1. Ralph Dellapiana:

   I think Utah took a giant step backward.

2. Emeasoba George:

   Look forward expectantly to who you can become in the future and to what you can still achieve subsequently. But, never look backward regretfully to who you used to be and to what you have already achieved. For, the future ahead of you is brighter and very promising. -Emeasoba George

3. Cas Overton:

   As I moved backward away from it, I grabbed its neck and I knew that I couldn't get away from it. If I ran, it would be faster than I would and would just tear me to pieces, you know, self-preservation kicks in, and I guess a primitive part of my brain just went into operation and that was it.

4. Dariush Mirfendereski:

   This seems odd because it is backward looking and not forward looking, but it is to do with market psychology, because the greatest demand for inflation products comes when realized inflation prints high.

5. Ehsan Sehgal:

   It is much easier to teach an uneducated person than the backward cultural values persistent and tenacious one, who lives, into yesterday, not today.

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