backhand
Americannoun
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backhands
plural
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a stroke, slap, etc., made with the palm of the hand turned toward the body and the back of the hand turned in the direction of the stroke, slap, etc.
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(in tennis, squash, etc.) a stroke made from the side of the body opposite to that of the hand holding the racket, paddle, etc.
-
handwriting that slopes toward the left.
adjective
-
(in tennis, squash, etc.) of, relating to, or noting a stroke made from the side of the body opposite to that of the hand holding the racket, paddle, etc.
adverb
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with the back of the hand.
He hit him backhand across the face.
-
from across the body; backhanded.
She returned the ball backhand on the first serve.
verb (used with object)
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backhands,
present (3rd person singular)
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backhanded,
past participle, past
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backhanding
present participle
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to strike with the back of the hand.
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to hit, produce, or accomplish with a backhand.
-
to catch (a ball or the like) backhanded.
noun
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sport
-
a stroke made across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the stroke
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( as modifier )
a backhand return
-
-
the side on which backhand strokes are made
-
handwriting slanting to the left
adverb
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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backhandsimple
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backhandssimple
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have backhandedperfect
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has backhandedperfect
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am backhandingprogressive
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are backhandingprogressive
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is backhandingprogressive
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have been backhandingperfect progressive
-
has been backhandingperfect progressive
Past
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backhandedsimple
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had backhandedperfect
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was backhandingprogressive
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were backhandingprogressive
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had been backhandingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of backhand
Explanation
A backhand is when you hit a ball with a racket or paddle with your arm across your body and the back of your hand facing the ball. Some tennis players find it challenging to hit a backhand. You can use the word backhand as a noun or an adjective, to describe a stroke in tennis, squash, or any other sport that involves a racket. When backhand is a verb, it can mean to hit the ball this way, but it more often means to hit or slap someone with the back of your hand. The tennis stroke meaning has been around since the 1650s.
Vocabulary lists containing backhand
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Michelsen continued to have the upper hand, with his backhand proving decisive on key points and, after taking the second set, he went up a break early in the third.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Musetti has described his versatile game as "vintage", not least because of his impressive, trademark one-handed backhand which repeatedly hurt Fery.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
His exit has been as graceful as his one-handed backhand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Query why emoluments get the backhand, and this clause is sort of forgotten and maybe implicitly deemed as this backwater.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
I knocked his hand away with a quick backhand swipe that every girl should master.
From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher
The man’s service might be questionable, but his backhands are unparalleled.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2026
One professional, Isaac Rose-Berman, gives an example of his methods: He saw that left-handed servers in tennis, more often than not, win a point against right-handed opponents with weak backhands.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026
The players who enjoy heavy top-spin on their forehands - like Kartal - often also enjoy hitting their slice backhands.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2025
His signature paddle has a 6-inch handle to assist backhands and a length of 16.5 inches.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 20, 2023
He backhands my throw and fires it right back.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
The most backhanded of backhanded compliments is paid to reporter Seymour Hersh during the documentary “Cover-Up,” and by the unlikeliest of sources.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025
Last Thanksgiving was full of backhanded compliments and pointed remarks.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 27, 2025
They may also chip away at your mood slowly, through backhanded compliments or pressuring you to be upbeat, where they don't allow you to express how you are really feeling.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2025
Classics YouTube channel, though these are mostly — maybe entirely — extracted highlights rather than full cartoons, which is its own kind of backhanded insult.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2025
He offers a kind of backhanded compliment: There’s a “snob factor” at Truman’s neighboring high schools that does not exist here.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Carlsson then evened things at 3-3 less than two minutes later, backhanding the puck over Canuck goalie Nikita Tolopilo while skating away from the crease for his 29th goal of the season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026
Boldy had Makar and Devon Toews to beat, which he did by skating between them before backhanding the puck by Binnington for his second goal of the tournament.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 22, 2026
With five minutes gone in the first, Zacha scored again, backhanding a rebound off Blackwood’s pads and into the net to make it 2-0.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 8, 2023
Just over two minutes later, Alexis Lafrenière made the play of the night — faking a shot between his legs before backhanding the puck past Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper to make it 2-0.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 2, 2023
Verhaeghe scored the game-winner just 2:46 into overtime, backhanding a shot into the back of the net to leave Samsonov lying on the ice in disbelief and Capitals fans stunned.
From Washington Times ● May 13, 2022
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