backward
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.directed or moving toward the back rather than the front.
adj.directed or moving toward the rear; situated behind.
Simple“He took a backward step to give the lady more room to pass.”
In context“The athlete's backward glance suggested he was more concerned with his competitors' positions than his own finish time.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.having made less progress than others in technology, society, or learning.
adj.less advanced than is typical or desired in terms of social, economic, or intellectual development.
Simple“The village was quite backward and still had no reliable electricity.”
In context“Critics argued that the new policy was a backward step for civil rights in the region.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.shy and not wanting to speak or act.
adj.reluctant or hesitant to act or speak; often used in the phrase 'not backward in' to mean someone is bold.
Simple“She was never backward in telling people exactly what she thought.”
In context“Though naturally a backward child in social settings, he displayed remarkable confidence when performing on stage.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
adv.toward the direction behind you.
adv.toward the rear or in a direction opposite to the usual one.
Simple“The car started to roll backward down the steep hill.”
In context“The film was played backward, making it look as though the broken glass was jumping back onto the table.”
UsageIn American English, 'backward' is preferred as an adverb; British English often uses 'backwards'.
PitfallHe looked backwardly at the house. He looked backward at the house.The word 'backward' (or 'backwards') is already an adverb; do not add '-ly'.
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
adv.looking or thinking about things that happened in the past.
adv.toward or into the past; in a reverse chronological order.
Simple“Looking backward, I realize I should have taken that job offer.”
In context“The historian traced the lineage backward through three centuries of church records.”
Synonyms
From Middle English bakwarde, abakward, equivalent to back (adverb) + -ward. Cognate with Old Frisian bekward (“backward”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.