Forward — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective adverb verb noun /ˈfȯr-wərd/ for·ward

Meaning & Definition of Forward

Forward (adjective)

  1. near, being at, or belonging to the forepart
  2. situated in advance
  3. strongly inclined, ready

Forward (adverb)

  1. to or toward what is ahead or in front

Forward (verb)

  1. to help onward, promote
  2. to send forward, transmit
  3. to send or ship onward from an intermediate post or station in transit

Forward (noun)

  1. a player who plays at the front of the team's formation near the opponent's goal

Forward (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. toward or at a point lying in advance in space or time

    "if you keep walking forward, you'll hit that wall"

    similar: ahead, along, forth, forwards, on, onward
    related: before, fore, frontward
    near: back, backward, behind, rearward

  2. toward a point ahead in space or time

    "from this day forward, our two nations will live in peace and harmony"

    similar: ahead, forth, on, onward
    near: backward

Forward (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. showing a lack of proper social reserve or modesty

    "a stranger so forward as to ask what medication he was taking and what it was for"

    similar: bold, familiar, free, immodest, overfamiliar, presuming, presumptuous
    related: arrogant, bumptious, complacent, conceited, egoistic, egomaniacal, egotistic, highfalutin, high-and-mighty, high-hat, hoity-toity, important, overweening, pompous, prideful, proud, self-asserting, self-assertive, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-important, self-satisfied, smug, uppity, vain, vainglorious, cavalier, disdainful, haughty, lordly, pretentious, snobbish, stuck-up, supercilious, superior, audacious, bold-faced, brash, brassbound, brassy, brazen, cheeky, cocky, fresh, impertinent, impudent, insolent, overbold, pert, sassy, saucy, confident, self-assured, self-confident, sure, boastful, braggart, bragging, domineering, high-handed, imperious, self-absorbed, self-centered, self-concerned, self-engrossed, self-infatuated, self-interested, self-involved, selfish, self-obsessed, self-seeking
    opposite: modest, unassuming
    near: demure, down-to-earth, humble, lowly, meek, unassertive, unpretentious, bashful, mousy, retiring, shy, timid, timorous, diffident, self-doubting

  2. being at or in the forward part or surface of something

    "the ship's forward deck"

    similar: anterior, fore, front, frontal, frontward
    related: ventral
    opposite: aft, after, hind, hinder, hindmost, posterior, rear, rearward
    near: dorsal

  3. being far along in development

    "the local citizenry's attitude toward racial equality was very forward for its time"

    similar: advanced, developed, evolved, high, higher, improved, late, progressive, refined
    related: precocious, full-blown, full-fledged, full-scale, aged, grown, mature, matured, perfected, ripe, ripened, civilized, educated, enhanced, enlightened, contemporary, current, cutting-edge, latest, leading-edge, mod, modern, new, newest, newfangled, new-fashioned, novel, now, present-day, recent, space-age, supermodern, ultramodern, up-to-date
    opposite: backward, low, lower, nonprogressive, primitive, rude, rudimentary, undeveloped
    near: green, immature, underdeveloped, undersized, underweight, unripe, unripened, savage, uncivilized, uneducated, early, embryonic, germinal, primeval, primordial, antediluvian, antiquated, antique, dated, fusty, hoary, musty, Neanderthal, obsolete, old, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, outworn, passé, past

  4. having or showing awareness of and preparation for the future

    "she was forward enough to start investing in her retirement fund at the age of 18"

    similar: farseeing, farsighted, forehanded, foreseeing, foresighted, forethoughtful, forward-looking, prescient, proactive, provident, visionary
    related: careful, cautious, heedful, discerning, insightful, perceptive, percipient, prudent, sagacious, sage, sapient, wise
    opposite: half-baked, half-cocked, improvident, myopic, shortsighted
    near: careless, heedless, incautious

Forward (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to help the growth or development of

    "their foundation will help forward better relations between young people from those warring nations"

    similar: advance, cultivate, encourage, foster, further, incubate, nourish, nurse, nurture, promote
    related: advocate, back, champion, endorse, support, uphold, endow, finance, fund, patronize, stake, subsidize, underwrite, abet, aid, assist, advertise, boost, plug, publicize, tout, agitate (for), campaign (for), work (for)
    opposite: discourage, frustrate, hinder, inhibit
    near: ban, bar, enjoin, forbid, interdict, outlaw, prevent, prohibit, proscribe, battle, combat, contend (with), counter, fight, oppose, repress, snuff (out), squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, halt, retard, encumber, fetter, hobble, impede, interfere (with), manacle, obstruct, shackle

Related Entry: Forward-looking (adjective)

Forward-looking is a different word from Forward. The synonyms below are for forward-looking, not for forward.

  1. having or showing awareness of and preparation for the future

    "a forward-looking business plan designed to take full advantage of emerging technologies"

    similar: farseeing, farsighted, forehanded, foreseeing, foresighted, forethoughtful, forward, prescient, proactive, provident, visionary
    related: careful, cautious, heedful, discerning, insightful, perceptive, percipient, prudent, sagacious, sage, sapient, wise
    opposite: half-baked, half-cocked, improvident, myopic, shortsighted
    near: careless, heedless, incautious

Related Entry: Look forward to (phrase)

Look forward to is a different word from Forward. The synonyms below are for look forward to, not for forward.

  1. to believe in the future occurrence of (something)

    "Thanks for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you."

    similar: anticipate, await, expect, hope (for), watch (for), look for
    related: bank on, count (on or upon), depend (on or upon), rely (on or upon), wait (for), envisage, envision, foresee, foretell, predict, prophesy, assume, presume, presuppose, contemplate, eye, view
    near: doubt, question

Related Entry: Put forward (phrase)

Put forward is a different word from Forward. The synonyms below are for put forward, not for forward.

  1. to set before the mind for consideration

    "She put forward some clever ideas during last week's meeting."

    similar: advance, bounce, offer, propose, pose, proffer, propound, suggest, vote, put forth
    related: move, nominate, recommend, present, submit, tender, trot out, file, lay, lodge, arrange, calculate, chart, contrive, cover, frame, map, plan, plot, shape

Related Entry: Fast-forward (verb)

Fast-forward is a different word from Forward. The synonyms below are for fast-forward, not for forward.

  1. as in accelerate, speed

    similar: accelerate, speed, advance, come, come along, do, fare, forge, get along, get on, go, go along, go off, march, pace, proceed, progress, approach, near, journey, pass, repair, run, travel, wend, actuate, drive, impel, propel, push, take out
    opposite: remain, stand, stay, stop, arrest, balk, block, check, detain, halt, hinder, hold back, impede, nip, obstruct, slow (down or up), stem, repress, retard, stunt, suppress, delay, interrupt, stall, cramp, hamper, inhibit, cease, let up, pause, regress, wait

Related Entry: Looked forward to (phrase)

Looked forward to is a different word from Forward. The synonyms below are for looked forward to, not for forward.

  1. to believe in the future occurrence of (something)

    "Thanks for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you."

    similar: anticipated, awaited, expected, hoped (for), watched (for), looked for
    related: banked on, counted (on or upon), depended (on or upon), relied (on or upon), waited (for), envisaged, envisioned, foresaw, foretold, predicted, prophesied, assumed, presumed, presupposed, contemplated, eyed, viewed
    near: doubted, questioned

Related Entry: Looks forward to (phrase)

Looks forward to is a different word from Forward. The synonyms below are for looks forward to, not for forward.

  1. to believe in the future occurrence of (something)

    "Thanks for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you."

    similar: anticipates, awaits, expects, hopes (for), watches (for), looks for
    related: banks on, counts (on or upon), depends (on or upon), relies (on or upon), waits (for), envisages, envisions, foresees, foretells, predicts, prophesies, assumes, presumes, presupposes, contemplates, eyes, views
    near: doubts, questions

Related Entry: Puts forward (phrase)

Puts forward is a different word from Forward. The synonyms below are for puts forward, not for forward.

  1. to set before the mind for consideration

    "She put forward some clever ideas during last week's meeting."

    similar: advances, bounces, offers, poses, proffers, proposes, propounds, suggests, votes, puts forth
    related: moves, nominates, recommends, presents, submits, tenders, trots out, files, lays, lodges, arranges, calculates, charts, contrives, covers, frames, maps, plans, plots, shapes

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Forward

The most common words with a similar meaning to Forward:

ahead, along, forth, forwards, on, onward, bold, familiar, free, immodest, overfamiliar, presuming, presumptuous, anterior, fore, front, frontal, frontward, advanced, developed, evolved, high, higher, improved, late, progressive, refined, farseeing, farsighted, forehanded, foreseeing, foresighted, forethoughtful, forward-looking, prescient, proactive, provident, visionary, advance, cultivate

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Forward

Words with the opposite meaning of Forward:

modest, unassuming, aft, after, hind, hinder, hindmost, posterior, rear, rearward, backward, low, lower, nonprogressive, primitive, rude, rudimentary, undeveloped, half-baked, half-cocked, improvident, myopic, shortsighted, discourage, frustrate, inhibit

Related Words for Forward

before, arrogant, bumptious, complacent, conceited, egoistic, egomaniacal, egotistic, highfalutin, high-and-mighty, high-hat, hoity-toity, important, overweening, pompous, prideful, proud, self-asserting, self-assertive, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-important, self-satisfied, smug, uppity, vain, vainglorious, cavalier, disdainful, haughty

Near Antonyms of Forward

back, behind, demure, down-to-earth, humble, lowly, meek, unassertive, unpretentious, bashful, mousy, retiring, shy, timid, timorous, diffident, self-doubting, dorsal, green, immature, underdeveloped, undersized, underweight, unripe, unripened, savage, uncivilized, uneducated, early, embryonic

Word Forms of Forward

Inflections: forwarded, forwarding, forwards

Derived words: forwardly (adverb), forwardness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Forward

Middle English, from Old English foreweard, from fore- + -weard -ward

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Forward

Words & Phrases Containing Forward

forward air controller, forward-looking, forward pass, forward of, forward-thinking, bring forward

Frequently Asked Questions about Forward

What does "Forward" mean?

"Forward" means near, being at, or belonging to the forepart. As an an adjective, an adverb, a verb and a noun, it is defined as: near, being at, or belonging to the forepart. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Forward"?

Other words for "Forward" include ahead, along, forth, forwards, on, onward, bold and familiar. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Forward" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Forward"?

There are 191 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Forward". Common alternatives include ahead, along, forth, forwards, on, onward, bold, familiar, free and immodest.

What is the opposite of "Forward"?

Antonyms of "Forward" include modest, unassuming, aft, after, hind, hinder, hindmost and posterior. Near antonyms include back, behind, demure and down-to-earth.

How do you use "Forward" in a sentence?

Examples of "Forward" in a sentence: "if you keep walking forward, you'll hit that wall"; "from this day forward, our two nations will live in peace and harmony"; "a stranger so forward as to ask what medication he was taking and what it was for".

Is "Forward" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Forward" can be used as an adjective, an adverb, a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Forward" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Forward" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Forward"?

"Forward" is pronounced /ˈfȯr-wərd/ and divided into syllables as for·ward.