backward
/ˈbækwɚd/adjective, adverb, noun, verb
backward is spelled B-A-C-K-W-A-R-D: 8 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, backward means “Situated toward or at the rear of something” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in backward?
| Letters | 8: B-A-C-K-W-A-R-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 5.1 times per million words; the 11,015th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is backward?
Backward appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce backward?
- UK /ˈbæk.wə(ɹ)d/
- US /ˈbækwɚd/
Backward has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-backward.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with backward?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as backward (/ækwəɹd/).
Spelled with the same letters in another order: drawback.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of backward
- more backward comparative
- most backward superlative
- backwards present, singular, he/she/it
- backwarding participle, present
- backwarded participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does backward mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Situated toward or at the rear of something.
The silt collects in the backward part of the tank.
- 2
Acting or moving in the direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing.
a backward tilt of the head
- 3
Acting or moving in the direction opposite to the usual direction of movement.
The occasional apparent backward movement of planets is evidence that they revolve around the sun.
- 4
Acting or moving oppositely to the desired direction of progress.
This is a backward step for the country.
- 5
Reversed in order or sequence.
This backward writing is hard to read.
- 6
Retarded in development; not as advanced as would be expected.
The child is backward in his school work.
- 7
Of a culture, country, practice etc., undeveloped or unsophisticated.
They were a backward people without any writing.
- 8
Slow to apprehend; having difficulties in learning.
a backward child
adverb
- 1
At, near or towards the rear of something.
The passenger turned around and walked backward, towards the tail of the aircraft.
- 2
In a direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing or normally pointing.
He tilted his head backward.
- 3
In a direction opposite to the usual direction of movement.
In reverse gear the wheel turns backward.
- 4
Oppositely to the desired direction of progress, or from a better to a worse state.
This project seems to be going backward.
- 5
In a reversed orientation; back to front.
He had his cap on backward.
- 6
In a reversed order or sequence.
A palindrome reads the same backward as forward.
- 7
Toward or into the past.
As we begin the new millennium, it behoves us to look backward as well as forward.
- 8
obsoleteIn the past.
noun
- 1
The state behind or past.
verb
- 1
datedTo keep back, to delay, to retard.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Backward in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | en arrière, à reculons , arriéré |
| German | zurück, nach hinten, rückwärts , zögerlich, gehemmt |
| Portuguese | de volta, para trás , retrógrado , atrás , atrasado , antiquado |
| Spanish | retrógrado , atrasado, rezagado, subdesarrollado, tercermundista , pasado de moda |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does backward come from?
From Middle English bakwarde, abakward, equivalent to back (adverb) + -ward. Cognate with Old Frisian bekward (“backward”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).