forwards

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈfɔrwɚdz/ UK /ˈfɔːwədz/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adv
toward the front; in the direction one is facing

He leaned forwards to hear the whispered reply.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · toward the front; in the... forward ahead onwardfrontwardalong

Opposites

backwards backward rearward

Word family

Related forms forward onward

Etymology

From Old English foreweardes, from foreweard ('toward the front') + the adverbial genitive -es, from fore ('before') + -weard ('-ward, in the direction of').

foreweard Old English -weard Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# forwards

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɔrwɚdz/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfɔːwədz/

## Meanings
1. toward the front; in the direction one is facing

## Examples
- He leaned forwards to hear the whispered reply.

## Synonyms
- forward
- ahead
- onward
- frontward
- along

## Antonyms
- backwards
- backward
- rearward

## Related Forms
- forward
- onward

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: foreweard
- Root: -weard

## Etymology
From Old English foreweardes, from foreweard ('toward the front') + the adverbial genitive -es, from fore ('before') + -weard ('-ward, in the direction of').

## AI Etymology
Forwards comes from Old English foreweardes, from foreweard ('toward the front') + the adverbial genitive -es, from fore ('before') + -weard ('-ward, in the direction of'). The suffix is part of the word's derivational shape, marking the final grammatical or semantic role while the base supplies the central meaning. As an adverb, it carries the sense "toward the front; in the direction one is facing", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Old English foreweard and Old English -weard. Related words include forward, onward.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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