backwards
Britishadverb
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towards the rear
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with the back foremost
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in the reverse of usual order or direction
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to or towards the past
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into a worse state
the patient was slipping backwards
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towards the point of origin
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informal to make a special effort, esp in order to please
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informal to understand completely
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.
“This is working backwards on affordability,” Cassidy said.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
He said that share prices seem to bake in that the company will move backwards rather than progress toward this benchmark.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
This early-to-mid 19th century craft involves applying artwork, lettering and gold leaf backwards onto glass panes, as often seen in traditional pubs or shop fronts.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
"I never realised our laws were so backwards," said Jessie, who is in her 30s.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
Aristotelian philosophers looked backwards, assuming Aristotle had known everything that needed to be known; the new scientists looked forward, aiming to expand the limited range of topics in which they could make satisfactory predictions.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
