back and forth

[bak-uhn-fawrth, -fohrth, -uhnd-] / ˈbæk ənˈfɔrθ, -ˈfoʊrθ, -ənd- /

ADVERB

backward and forward

Synonyms

WEAK

alternating backwards and forwards from pillar to post from side to side in and out seesaw to and fro up and down vacillating

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

My son spends the most money on train tickets to travel back and forth to school.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

The driverless trucks perform best when they shuttle back and forth in repetitive trips—for instance, a 14-mile trip between a Gatorade bottling plant and storage facility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

“The only ‘interference’ is the normal back and forth between editor and correspondent that happens in every newsroom.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

On Thursday, US Vice-President JD Vance said negotiators were "going back and forth on a couple of language points", which include the "question of enrichment".

From BBC • May 29, 2026

“I didn’t want to take you here, but I had to. I had to. It was the only way to make you understand,” she pleads as she sways back and forth.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

back and forth

Example Sentences

Related Words