How do you pronounce forward?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfɔɹwəɹd/.

Where does forward come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

forward

/ˈfɔɹwəɹd/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.12 in modern English

Syllables: for-ward
IPA: /ˈfɔɹwəɹd/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Situated toward or at the front of something.

adj

Situated toward or at the front of something.

adj

Acting in or pertaining to the direction in which someone or something is facing.

adj

Acting in or pertaining to the direction of travel or movement.

adj

Moving in the desired direction of progress.

adj

Having the usual order or sequence.

adj

Expected or scheduled to take place in the future.

adj

Advanced beyond the usual degree; advanced for the season; precocious.

Example Sentences

"The fire was confined to the forward portion of the store."
"the forward gun in a ship"
"the forward ship in a fleet"
"The forward battalion took a hammering."
"My forward vision is fine, but my peripheral vision is poor."
"forward motion, forward thrust, forward momentum"

Etymology

From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Prefix: fore
Root: foreward, foreweard, *fura-
Suffix: fore

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈfɔɹwəɹd/
British English: /ˈfɔːwəd/

Usage

Inflected Forms

further forward (comparative) farther forward (comparative) more forward (comparative) forwarder (comparative) furthest forward (superlative) farthest forward (superlative) most forward (superlative) forwardmost (superlative) forwardest (superlative) foreward (alternative, obsolete) forrard (alternative, dialectal) forrad (alternative, dialectal)

Derived Forms

unforwarded carryforward feedforward flashforward forwardable forwardal forwardly forwardness forwards henceforward misforward overforward

Phrases

backward in coming forward spring forward, fall back back and forward backward and forward blow forward cab forward carriage forward carry forward

Synonyms

attacker striker front man forward contract anterior front forecast predicted bold fresh impertinent brazen

Homonyms

foreword (some accents)

Antonyms

back posterior rear antonym(s) of restrained backward backwards rearwards in reverse into the past

Rhymes With

fast-forward straightforward shoreward dorward norward board record lord award toward afford ford