: backward and forward
also
: between two places or persons
Synonyms
Examples of back-and-forth in a Sentence
Noun
after the usual back-and-forth of official gifts, the two leaders entered into a serious discussion
the others listened with relish to the back-and-forth between the two noted professors
Adverb
The chair rocked back and forth.
The children were shuttled back and forth between school and home.
Recent Examples on the Web
Carlos Suarez, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024
Their prior agreement expired Sept. 1, following months of back-and-forth without resolution.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 14 Sep. 2024
Stephen J. Beard, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
The average American worker spends nearly 55 minutes commuting back and forth to work.
—Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for back-and-forth 
Noun
Video of Hill’s detention, as well as tense police interactions with two teammates at the scene, led to a public back-and-forth between the team and police and has renewed the debate over how law enforcement handles traffic stops and interacts with members of the public, particularly Black drivers.
—Carlos Suarez, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024
Their prior agreement expired Sept. 1, following months of back-and-forth without resolution.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 14 Sep. 2024
Adverb
As the tsunami rocked back and forth in the fjord, the impacts were strong enough to ripple through the Earth's crust and register as a single frequency hum that seismologists initially categorized as a USO, or unidentified seismic object.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
The average American worker spends nearly 55 minutes commuting back and forth to work.
—Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for back-and-forth
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'back-and-forth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near back-and-forth
Cite this Entry
“Back-and-forth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back-and-forth. Accessed 29 Sep. 2024.
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