# to and fro

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/to-and-fro
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To go back and forth; to alternate.

## Examples

- She walks to and fro in the kitchen while she thinks.
- The negotiations went to and fro for hours before they finally reached an agreement.
- His thoughts drifted to and fro between regret for the past and anxiety for what lay ahead, never settling long enough to bring him peace.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.