adj.

1. Directed or facing toward the back or rear.
2. Done or arranged in a manner or order that is opposite to previous occurrence or normal use.
3. Unwilling to act; reluctant; shy.
4. Behind others in progress or development: The technology was backward, but the system worked.

adv. or back·wards (-wərdz)

1. To or toward the back or rear.
2. With the back leading.
3. In a reverse manner or order.
4. To, toward, or into the past.
5. Toward a worse or less advanced condition.

backwardly back'ward·ly adv.
backwardness back'ward·ness n.

USAGE NOTE   The adverb may be spelled backward or backwards, and these forms are interchangeable: stepped backward; a mirror facing backwards. In Standard English, however, the adjective has no –s: a backward view.

adjective

1. Directed or facing toward the back or rear: retrograde, retrogressive. See precede/follow.
2. Not forward but reticent or reserved in manner: bashful, coy, demure, diffident, modest, retiring, self-effacing, shy, timid. See restraint/unrestraint.
3. Exhibiting lack of education or knowledge: benighted, ignorant, primitive, unenlightened. See knowledge/ignorance.
4. Having only a limited ability to learn and understand: dull, simple, simple-minded, slow, slow-witted. Informal soft. Offensive feeble-minded, half-witted, retarded, weak-minded. See ability/inability.
5. Not progressing and developing as fast as others, as in economic and social aspects: lagging, underdeveloped, undeveloped. See precede/follow.
6. Economically and socially below standard: depressed, deprived, disadvantaged, impoverished, underprivileged. See rich/poor.
7. Clinging to obsolete ideas: conservative, reactionary, unprogressive. See politics.

adverb

1. Toward the back: about, around, back, backwards, rearward. See precede/follow.
2. In or toward a former location or condition: about, around, back, backwards, rearward, round. See approach/retreat.

In addition to the idiom beginning with backward, also see bend over backward; fall over (backwards); know like a book (backwards and forwards).

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adj

Definition: bashful
Antonyms: aggressive, forward, precocious, unshy

adj

Definition: slow in growth
Antonyms: developing, fast, intelligent, smart

adj

Definition: toward the rear
Antonyms: ahead, forward, to the front

adv

Definition: toward the rear
Antonyms: forward

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IN BRIEF: With the rear toward the front.

You can lean over backward so far that you fall flat on your face. — Ben H. Bagdikian

Common misspelling(s) of backward

• ackward

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - bagvendt, bagud
adv. - bagvendt, bagud

idioms:

• backward looking    bagstræverisk

Nederlands (Dutch)
achter, achterlijk, achteruit, naar achteren, terughoudend, terug, saai

Français (French)
adj. - en arrière, (fig) rétrograde, arriéré, peu avancé, (Méd) retardé, lent, peu disposé (à faire), hésitant
adv. - en arrière, à la renverse, à contre-courant, à reculons, à rebours, à l'envers, en commençant par la fin, comme sa poche, (fig) en arrière, vers le passé, (fig) de travers, en rétrogradant

idioms:

• backward looking    être rétrograde

Deutsch (German)
adj. - zurückgeblieben, rückständig, rückwärts gerichtet
adv. - falsch herum, rückwärts, hintenüber

idioms:

• backward looking    überholt

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - οπίσθιος, προς τα πίσω, καθυστερημένος, προς το χειρότερο, οπισθοδρομικός, υπανάπτυκτος, ανάδρομος
adv. - προς τα πίσω, προς το χειρότερο

idioms:

• backward looking    οπισθοδρομικός, αναχρονιστικός, αντιδραστικός

Italiano (Italian)
arretrato, ritardato mentale, alla rovescia, all'indietro, indietro

idioms:

• backward looking    antiquato, nostalgico

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - oposto, tímido, atrasado
adv. - para trás, inadvertidamente, retrogradamente, às avessas

idioms:

• backward looking    retrógrado

Русский (Russian)
недоразвитый, отсталый, задом наперед, назад

idioms:

• backward looking    ретроград

Español (Spanish)
adj. - atrasado, subdesarrollado, retrasado, retardado, al revés, con lo de atrás adelante, hacia atrás, de espaldas, dirigido hacia atrás
adv. - al revés, con lo de atrás adelante, hacia atrás

idioms:

• backward looking    de apariencia rara, retardado

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - bakåtriktad, bakåtvänd, försagd, efterbliven
adv. - bakåt, baklänges, tillbaka

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
向后的, 返回的, 反向的, 怕羞的, 畏缩的, 落后的, 发展迟缓的, 犹豫的, 向后地, 追溯, 相反地

idioms:

• backward looking    退缩的, 保守的, 回顾过去的

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 向後的, 返回的, 反向的, 怕羞的, 畏縮的, 落後的, 發展遲緩的, 猶豫的
adv. - 向後地, 追溯, 相反地

idioms:

• backward looking    退縮的, 保守的, 回顧過去的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 뒤쪽의, 진보가 늦은, 싫어하는
adv. - 뒤쪽에, 거꾸로

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 後方の, 逆の, 遅れた, 時期遅れの, しりごみする
n. - 後方, 過去
adv. - 後方に, 逆行して

idioms:

• backward looking    回顧的な

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) متخلف (ظرف) باتجاه الخلف‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮פונה לאחור, מפגר, מהסס, ביישן, לא מתקדם‬
adv. - ‮פונה לאחור‬

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Digital 8 Backward Compatibility