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backward

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adverb American English pronunciation: backward /ˈbækwərd/
  1. 1
    in the direction that is behind you

    He was thrown backward by the force of the explosion.

    I glanced backward over my shoulder to see if anyone was following me.

    a car rolling backward down a hill

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  backwardThesaurus entry for this meaning of backward
  2. 2
    in the opposite way or order from usual

    Count backward from ten to one.

    Let’s work backward through all the steps in the process so we can see where we went wrong.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  backwardThesaurus entry for this meaning of backward
    1. a.
      with the back part in front

      Your shirt is on backward.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  backwardThesaurus entry for this meaning of backward
  3. 3
    toward a time in the past

    It’s only by looking backward that we can understand how these rivalries developed.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  backwardThesaurus entry for this meaning of backward
    1. a.
      not progressing but changing back to a former worse state

      With these new, weaker pollution controls, the Administration seems to be moving backward.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  backwardThesaurus entry for this meaning of backward

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This is the American English definition of backward. View British English definition of backward.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to British English.

 

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