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• back-and-forth
  back-and-forth

  adjective

  backward and forward; side to side; to and fro.
• back and forth
  back and forth

  Also, backward(s) and forward(s). To and fro, moving in one direction and then the opposite and so making no progress in either. For example, The clock pendulum swung back and forth. The term is also used figuratively, as in The lawyers argued the point backwards and forwards for an entire week. [c. 1600]

back-and-forth

American  

[bak-uhn-fawrth, -fohrth, -uhnd-] / ˈbæk ənˈfɔrθ, -ˈfoʊrθ, -ənd- /

adjective

1. backward and forward; side to side; to and fro.

   a back-and-forth shuttling of buses to the stadium; the back-and-forth movement of a clock's pendulum.

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noun

1. unresolved argument or discussion.

back and forth Idioms  

1. Also, backward(s) and forward(s). To and fro, moving in one direction and then the opposite and so making no progress in either. For example, The clock pendulum swung back and forth. The term is also used figuratively, as in The lawyers argued the point backwards and forwards for an entire week. [c. 1600]

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Usage

What does back-and-forth mean? Back-and-forth is a noun that means an argument or discussion in which little gets resolved. Back-and-forth is also used to describe something having a movement pattern in which it repeatedly moves somewhere and returns to where it started. A back-and-forth is a discussion where two or more people are failing to reach a compromise or a solution, as in I had a very long back-and-forth with my girlfriend about what to do with my dog. A back-and-forth is a much less productive version of a give-and-take, where people more easily reach a compromise. As an adjective, back-and-forth describes a movement from one point to another and then back to the original point, as in The audience stared at the back-and-forth movements of the hypnotist’s watch. Such a movement might be forward and backward and forward again or from one side to another and back to the first side. Example: The budget discussion became an intense back-and-forth where neither side wanted to concede anything.

Etymology

Origin of back-and-forth

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

back-and-forth back and forth

The human interaction, back-and-forth questions and follow-ups are essential to keep their stories authentic and anti-AI — a system that is proving to be detrimental to teaching writing skills.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026

Though Smith has been at least hitting in the batting cages, he’s had a back-and-forth recovery from an injury the Dodgers initially hoped wouldn’t need an IL stint.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Following the diplomatic back-and-forth about a potentially existential subject could tire anyone out, so spend the rest of your night doing something else!

From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026

The back-and-forth between Taylor Farms and regulators is the latest wrinkle that consumers have to navigate while they figure out what’s safe to eat right now.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Kerry, then a senator from Massachusetts, was locked in a back-and-forth fight for the presidency with George W. Bush.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Dovbijenko added there was then "a lot of back and forth" over their travel arrangements, including an attempt to separate her from her husband, before they eventually secured a flight to Liverpool.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

But it’s also the school year, with every public school in the state open and parents already ferrying their children back and forth each day.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

Zoe Zeeman swayed back and forth behind her bass, simply dressed in a tee and vintage Lakers shorts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

And if you don’t drive back and forth between your homes, you might need a car in both places.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

It was strange not to feel the weight of his cloak on his shoulders as he strode back and forth.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman