What are some alternative words for backward?
Synonyms for backward
ˈbæk wərd
This thesaurus page is about all possible synonyms, equivalent, same meaning and similar words for the term backward.
Princeton's WordNet
backward(adj)
directed or facing toward the back or rear
"a backward view"
Synonyms:
feebleminded, slow-witted, half-wittedAntonyms:
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, aheadbackward(adj)
(used of temperament or behavior) marked by a retiring nature
"a backward lover"
Synonyms:
feebleminded, slow-witted, half-wittedAntonyms:
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, forrardbackward, half-witted, slow-witted, feebleminded(adj)
retarded in intellectual development
Synonyms:
feebleminded, slow-witted, half-wittedAntonyms:
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, frontwardbackward(adverb)
having made less than normal progress
"an economically backward country"
Synonyms:
feebleminded, slow-witted, half-wittedAntonyms:
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, forradback, 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, rearwardAntonyms:
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, forrardbackward, 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, rearwardAntonyms:
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, forwardsback, 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, rearwardAntonyms:
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
backward(adjective)
Synonyms:
backwardsbackward(adverb)
Antonyms:
progressivebackward(adjective)
Pertaining to the direction towards the back.
Synonyms:
backwardsbackward(adjective)
Synonyms:
retrogradebackward(adjective)
Synonyms:
third worldAntonyms:
forward
English Synonyms and Antonyms
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, unwillingAntonyms:
desirous, disposed, eager, favorable, inclined, willing
Dictionary of English Synonymes
backward(a.)
Synonyms:
averse, unwilling, reluctant, loath, disinclined, indisposed, wavering, hesitatingbackward(a.)
backward(a.)
Synonyms:
late, tardy, behindhand, after the usual timebackward(ad.)
Synonyms:
regressively, rearwards, aback, behind, ABAFT
Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words
backward(a)
Synonyms:
retrograde, retrogressive, reverse, regressive, retrospective, reluctant, averse, loath, disinclined, unwilling, dull, inapt, late, tardy, delayed, undeveloped
PPDB, the paraphrase database
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
Words popularity by usage frequency
ranking | word | |
---|---|---|
#103 | back | |
#1531 | behind | |
#2901 | slow | |
#6114 | opposed | |
#10841 | upstream | |
#12026 | backward | |
#12662 | outdated | |
#12694 | backwards | |
#14720 | reluctant | |
#19481 | aft | |
#19538 | unwilling | |
#21061 | overdue | |
#23918 | arrears | |
#25419 | backlog | |
#36202 | lagging | |
#38684 | retrograde | |
#43252 | averse | |
#43914 | underdeveloped | |
#44872 | backspace | |
#54225 | regressive | |
#78508 | loath | |
#90539 | rearward | |
#96428 | backwardness | |
#119355 | disinclined | |
#173035 | indisposed | |
#226482 | retrogressive |
How to use backward in a sentence?
International anti-trafficking standards have evolved, standing still is slipping backward in the face of a growing global challenge.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Translations for backward
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- назад, обратно, изостаналBulgarian
- enrereCatalan, Valencian
- vzad, dozadu, zpátkyCzech
- zögerlich, rückwärts, zurück, rückwärtsgewandt, zurückgeblieben, altmodisch, gehemmt, antiquiert, nach hinten, überholt, rückständig, unterentwickelt, zurückgewandtGerman
- πίσω, υπανάπτυκτος, ανάποδος, οπισθοδρομικός, παλιομοδίτικοςGreek
- pasado de moda, rezagado, atrasado, anticuado, retrógradoSpanish
- taantumuksellinen, vanhanaikainen, takapajuinen, päinvastainen, takaperoinen, alikehittynyt, taaksepäin, saamaton, takaperin, syrjäänvetäytyvä, peruuttaaFinnish
- en arrière, sous-développé, arriéréFrench
- mundur ke belakangIndonesian
- 後方, 後ろJapanese
- دواکهوتوKurdish
- whakamuriMāori
- achteruitDutch
- z powrotem, archaiczny, przestarzały, do tyłu, tyłPolish
- retrógrado, atrasadoPortuguese
- îndărăt, regresiv, înapoi, către spate, spre-napoiRomanian
- обратный, задний, отсталый, назад, обратноRussian
- bakåtsträvande, baklänges, bakåt, bakomSwedish
- patalikodTagalog
- geriyeTurkish
- پسماندہUrdu
- 落後Chinese
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Translation
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Citation
Use the citation below to add these synonyms to your bibliography:
"backward." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2021. Web. 28 Feb. 2021. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/backward>.