back and forth

See also: back-and-forth

English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • (non-rhotic) IPA(key): /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːθ/, /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːθ/
  • (rhotic) IPA(key): /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːɹθ/, /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːɹθ/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Adverb

back and forth (not comparable)

  1. From one place to another and back again.
    Synonym: backwards and forwards
    • 2026 March 24, Chris Serres, Danny McDonald, Mable Chan, The Boston Globe‎[1], archived from the original on 10 October 2026:
      One frigid November evening, the mood was buoyant as two dozen mostly older Chinatown residents poured into the center. One by one, they tossed their parkas on chairs and took turns at the karaoke machine. Soon, the room was alive with people dancing and singing under a haze of blue strobe lights. A projector flashed images of the Chinese countryside and women dancing in embroidered, silk costumes. Nearby, younger people darted back and forth at Ping-Pong tables.
  2. Flip-flopping between multiple options, courses of action, etc.

Coordinate terms

Translations

See also

Adjective

back and forth (not comparable)

  1. Going from one place or position to another and back again.
    The back and forth movement of the tide causes erosion of the coastline.

Translations

Verb

back and forth (third-person singular simple present back and forths, present participle back and forthing, simple past and past participle back and forthed)

  1. To go repeatedly in one direction, then the opposite, or to switch one's mind between two options repeatedly.

Noun

back and forth (countable and uncountable, plural back and forths)

  1. The movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position. May refer to a concept such as an emotional state or a relationship as well as a physical thing.
    • 2009, Dorothy Rich with Beverly Mattox, Megaskills for Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond: Building Your Child's Happiness, page 43:
      Roll the ball to your child, who then rolls it back to you. After a few back-and-forths, roll the ball to a nearby corner of the room or other hiding place.
  2. Negotiations or discussions (not necessarily fruitful) between two or more parties; a dialog.
    • 1895, United States Congress, “Congressional serial set”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 11214, page 718:
      There's some back and forth between Simpson and his CIA counterparts and, in essence, the CIA says that you must ship all of the quantities requested.
    • 2014 October 27, Taylor Swift, Imogen Heap, “Clean (Taylor's Version)”, in 1989 (Taylor's Version)‎[2], performed by Taylor Swift, published 27 October 2023:
      It was months and months of back and forth, ah-ah, ah-ah
      You're still all over me like a wine-stained dress I can't wear anymore

Synonyms

Translations

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