backwards

/ ˈbækwədz /

adverb

1. towards the rear

2. with the back foremost

3. in the reverse of usual order or direction

4. to or towards the past

5. into a worse state

   the patient was slipping backwards

6. towards the point of origin

7. informal,  to make a special effort, esp in order to please

8. informal,  to understand completely

Example Sentences

William Mulholland, the man who brought in Owens Valley water in 1913, told a committee that sought his candidacy: “Gentlemen, I would rather give birth to a porcupine backwards than be mayor of Los Angeles.”

From Los Angeles Times

To some it even feels as though things have gone backwards, with fears that the false blame narrative will take hold once more.

From BBC

Videos verified by BBC show him jolting backwards in his chair as students scatter in panic.

From BBC

One of his conclusions was that throwing the ball "laterally or backwards can increase throw-in success rates in comparison to throwing the ball forwards", and the "higher-ranked teams utilised this strategy more often".

From BBC

In the first 45 minutes they went backwards in their passing almost more often than they went forward.

From BBC

Related Words

• back 
• backward