Dictionary

back and forth en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːɹθ/ rhotic
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːθ/ non-rhotic
• /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːɹθ/ rhotic
• /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːθ/ non-rhotic

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Going from one place or position to another and back again.
   • The back and forth movement of the tide causes erosion of the coastline.

Forms

Translations (6)

eo oscila (going from one place to another and back again) · hu oda-vissza (going from one place to another and back again) · it avanti e indietro (going from one place to another and back again) · fi edestakainen (going from one place to another and back again) · ca vaiver (going from one place to another and back again) · hu ide-oda (going from one place to another and back again)

back and forth en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːɹθ/ rhotic
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːθ/ non-rhotic
• /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːɹθ/ rhotic
• /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːθ/ non-rhotic

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) From one place to another and back again.
   • 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. 2026 March 24, Chris Serres, Danny McDonald, Mable Chan, The Boston Globe, retrieved 31 May 2026:
2. (not-comparable) Flip-flopping between multiple options, courses of action, etc.

Forms

Coordinates

to and fro · out-and-home · side-to-side · there and back · out-and-back · up and down

Relateds

hither and yon · here and there · hither and thither

Synonyms

backwards and forwards

Translations (62)

es de una parte a/para otra (from one place to another and back again) · ru туда́ и обра́тно (from one place to another and back again) · ko 왔다 갔다 (from one place to another and back again) · pt para lá e para cá (from one place to another and back again) · pt para frente e para trás (from one place to another and back again) · fi edestakaisin (from one place to another and back again) · es para atrás y para adelante (from one place to another and back again) · de hin und her (from one place to another and back again) · cy ôl a blaen (from one place to another and back again) · fr va-et-vient (from one place to another and back again) · sh tamo i natrag (from one place to another and back again) · he הלוך חזור (from one place to another and back again) · tr ileri geri (from one place to another and back again) · ko 왔다리 갔다리 (from one place to another and back again) · fr aller-retour (from one place to another and back again) · ro peste tot (from one place to another and back again) · ro de colo până colo (from one place to another and back again) · hu fel-alá (from one place to another and back again) · nb frem og tilbake (from one place to another and back again) · nn fram og tilbake (from one place to another and back again) · bg напред-назад (from one place to another and back again) · ru взад-вперёд (from one place to another and back again) · ka წინ-უკან (from one place to another and back again) · ro de colo colo (from one place to another and back again) · gl de aquí para alí (from one place to another and back again) · nn att og fram (from one place to another and back again) · tl pabalik-balik (from one place to another and back again) · vi tới lui (from one place to another and back again) · sv fram och tillbaka (from one place to another and back again) · mk напред-назад (from one place to another and back again) · hu le-fel (from one place to another and back again) · ka აქეთ-იქით (from one place to another and back again) · gl entre idas e vidas (from one place to another and back again) · hu előre-hátra (from one place to another and back again) · ro înainte şi înapoi (from one place to another and back again) · ru туда́-сюда́ (from one place to another and back again) · ka წინ და უკან (from one place to another and back again) · nl heen en weer (from one place to another and back again) · cmn 來回 /来回 (from one place to another and back again) · ro peste tot locul (from one place to another and back again) · fur indevant e indaûr (from one place to another and back again) · hu ide-oda (from one place to another and back again) · el μπρος πίσω (from one place to another and back again) · ro de pe o parte pe alta (from one place to another and back again) · sh tamo i nazad (from one place to another and back again) · la hūc et illūc (from one place to another and back again) · ro dintr-o parte în alta (from one place to another and back again) · sh amo-tamo (from one place to another and back again) · ar ذَهَابًا وَإِيَابًا (from one place to another and back again) · et edasi-tagasi (from one place to another and back again) · it avanti e indietro (from one place to another and back again) · ro încoace şi încolo (from one place to another and back again) · hu ki-be (from one place to another and back again) · hu fel s alá (from one place to another and back again) · es de un lado a/para otro (from one place to another and back again) · pl tam i z powrotem (from one place to another and back again) · pl tam i nazad (from one place to another and back again) · hu fel és alá (from one place to another and back again) · hu oda-vissza (from one place to another and back again) · txb orkäntai (from one place to another and back again) · ja 行ったり来たり (from one place to another and back again) · da frem og tilbage (from one place to another and back again)

back and forth en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːɹθ/ rhotic
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːθ/ non-rhotic
• /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːɹθ/ rhotic
• /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːθ/ non-rhotic

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) 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.
   • 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. 2009, Dorothy Rich with Beverly Mattox, Megaskills for Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond: Building Your Child's Happiness, page 43:
2. (countable, uncountable) Negotiations or discussions (not necessarily fruitful) between two or more parties; a dialog.
   • 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. 1895, United States Congress, “Congressional serial set”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 11214, page 718:
   • 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 2014 October 27, Taylor Swift, Imogen Heap, “Clean (Taylor's Version)”, in 1989 (Taylor's Version), performed by Taylor Swift, published 27 October 2023:

Forms

Synonyms

tug of war (negotiations)

Translations (21)

eo oscilo (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · pl ruch tam i z powrotem (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · ja 行ったり来たり (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · hu váltakozás (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · it andirivieni (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · fi edestakainen liike (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · ca vaivé (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · fr va-et-vient (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · it viavai (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · de Hin und Her (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · cmn 來回 /来回 (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · fr allées et venues (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · hu hullámzás (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · hu huzakodás (negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog) · hu huzavona (negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog) · hu ingázás (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · hu vitatkozás (negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog) · hu (vacillation/fluctuation) ingadozás (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · hu himbálózás (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · el πηγαινέλα (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position) · cmn 往返 (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position)

back and forth en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːɹθ/ rhotic
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːθ/ non-rhotic
• /ˈbæ.kəndˌfɔːɹθ/ rhotic
• /ˈbæ.kənˌfɔːθ/ non-rhotic

Meanings

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

Forms