Backward or Backwards | Spelling & Definition
Backwards and backward are two different spellings of basically the same word. As an adverb, both ways of spelling the word are acceptable in American English and British English, although there is a strong preference for backward in American English. In British English, backwards is prevalent, but the preference is not as strong.
As an adjective, only backward is recognized as a standard spelling in both American English and British English.
It was a classic mistake—looking backwards/backward instead of paying attention to the road ahead.
Sean started to panic as the current was sweeping him backwards/backward no matter how hard he paddled the kayak.
- towards/toward
- upwards/upward
- afterwards/afterward
You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker, which has selectable language regions, to make sure you have the correct spelling of “backwards” or “backward” and all these other examples.
Backward or backwards as an adjective
When used as an adjective, the only widely accepted spelling is backward. Although you will sometimes find it spelled backwards (especially in informal English), the more common spelling in academic writing is backward.
- With the confidence only a five-year-old can have, Sam set off without a backwards glance.
- With the confidence only a five-year-old can have, Sam set off without a backward glance.
- Angela couldn’t help but think that the committee had just taken a big backwards step.
- Angela couldn’t help but think that the committee had just taken a big backward step.
- After years of stasis, the employees were delighted that the new management team didn’t have the same backwards outlook as their predecessors.
- After years of stasis, the employees were delighted that the new management team didn’t have the same backward outlook as their predecessors.
Backwards or backwards as an adverb
In American English, the usual spelling of the adverb is backward, and in British English, backwards is more common. However, both are widely accepted in both regional variants.
Michael Jackson perfected the “moonwalk,” where the body performs the actions of forward motion, while actually traveling backward/backwards.
Running the video backward/backwards, you could see that the recording had actually been done in reverse to trick the viewer.
Main differences between American and British English
American and British English are very similar, but there are a few main differences in spelling. Some differences are:
| Difference | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -or vs -our | In American English, many Latin-derived words end in -or. | Behavior or behaviour Color or colour Favor or favour Flavor or flavour Favorite or favourite Honor or honour Humor or humour Labor or labour Neighbor or neighbour |
| In British English, these same words end in -our. | ||
| -er vs -re | In American English, some French, Latin, or Greek words end in -er. | Center or centre Fiber or fibre Theater or theatre |
| In British English, these same words end in -re. | ||
| -ize vs -ise | In American English, many Greek-derived words end in -yze or -ize. | Analyze or analyse Organization or organisation Realize or realise Recognize or recognise |
| In British English, these words end in -yse or -ise. | ||
| -ed vs -t | In American English, most verbs are regular and form their past tense with the suffix -ed. | Burned or burnt Dreamed or dreamt Kneeled or knelt Learned or learnt Smelled or smelt Spelled or spelt Spilled or spilt |
| In British English, some of these verbs are irregular and form their past tense with the suffix -t. | ||
| Single vs double consonant | In American English, many words are spelled with a single consonant. | Buses or busses Canceled or cancelled Counselor or counsellor Focused or focussed Labeled or labelled Modeling or modelling Traveling or travelling |
| In British English, these same words are often spelled with a double consonant. | ||
| Dropping vs retaining the “e” | In American English, “e” is often dropped when forming a noun from a verb | Acknowledgment or acknowledgement Aging or ageing Judgment or judgement |
| In British English, the “e” is often retained. | ||
| Different verb and noun spellings | In American English, most words have identical verb and noun spellings. | License or licence Practice or practise |
| In British English, some words have different spellings for the verb and noun forms. | ||
| Other spelling differences | There are many other spelling differences between the two English variants. | Airplane or aeroplane Aluminum or aluminium Check or cheque Cozy or cosy Defense or defence Dependent or dependant Enrollment or enrolment Fulfil or fulfill Gray or grey Jewelry or jewellery Karat or carat Mold or mould Offense or offence Pajamas or pyjamas Program or programme Skeptical or sceptical Tire or tyre |
Other interesting articles
If you want to know more about job applications, research, or idioms, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Job applications
Research
Frequently asked questions about backward or backwards
- What is a synonym for backwards?
-
There are several possible synonyms for backwards, including:
- In reverse
- Back
- In the opposite direction
- Rearwards
- Behind
You can spell the adverb either backward or backwards. There is some difference in prevalence between American English and British English, but in both cases it can be spelled either way.
The QuillBot Paraphrasing Tool is a useful way to find synonyms to ensure your writing doesn’t become repetitive.
