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. bend over backwards or lean over backwards or fall over backwards informal.
   to make a special effort, esp in order to please
8. know backwards informal.
   to understand completely

Example Sentences

"The Y chromosome has many sections that repeat, and even some that are palindromes -- the same forwards and backwards. It makes it challenging to understand which genes are encoded there," Cothran explained.

From Science Daily

Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region is faltering as Russian troops have pushed Kyiv's offensive backwards.

From BBC

Still, Portugal found a way to execute via a big scrum under the Scottish posts that sent the hosts backwards.

From BBC

“And I don‘t want to have to see us go backwards to remind ourselves that vaccines work.

From Salon

“We do not have four years to not do things, let alone go backwards,” said Ken Alex, director at the Center for Law Energy and Environment at UC Berkeley.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• back
• backward