forward
forward — adverb
1. in a direction that is ahead of where you are, toward the front of a space or ob
in a direction that is ahead of where you are, toward the front of a space or object.
Dahlia took a small step forward when her name was called.
step + forward for physical movement
The old bus moved slowly forward through the narrow market street past the stalls.
Kwame leaned forward to see the stage more clearly.
lean + forward for changing posture
Children were asked to walk forward one step at a time during the fire drill.
- move forward
- step forward
- lean forward
- push forward
- walk forward
- backward
opposite direction, toward the rear
Grammar Patterns
move/step/lean + forward
Usage Note
Commonly paired with verbs of motion such as move, step, lean, walk, and push.
Common Mistakes
2. in a ball sport, moving the ball or the play toward the area guarded by the oppo
in a ball sport, moving the ball or the play toward the area guarded by the opposing team.
Lakshmi passed the ball forward to her teammate near the goal.
pass + forward in football/basketball
The basketball team pushed forward in the final minutes, desperate to tie the score.
Yan kicked the ball forward toward the opponent's end zone.
The striker ran forward as soon as the whistle blew, racing toward the penalty area.
run + forward for attacking play
- pass forward
- push forward
- kick forward
- run forward
- move forward
- upfield
specific to field sports, means toward the opponent's end
- backward
toward one's own goal in a sports context
Grammar Patterns
pass + forward
run + forward
Usage Note
In some sports (e.g., rugby), a forward pass is against the rules; the term then describes general advance toward the goal line.
3. referring to a later point in time; with verbs like bring or move it can also in
referring to a later point in time; with verbs like bring or move it can also indicate rescheduling to an earlier date.
From this weekend forward, the library will open at eight.
from [time] + forward for starting point in time
The couple moved their wedding date forward by two weeks to avoid the rainy season.
Christopher told the team to plan forward for the new season, not dwell on losses.
The government brought the election forward by three months.
bring forward = reschedule to an earlier date
- from now forward
- bring forward
- move forward
- look forward
- from today forward
- backward
looking toward the past
Grammar Patterns
from now/today + forward
move + forward + time phrase
4. starting at a particular time or event and continuing after it.
starting at a particular time or event and continuing after it.
From that day forward, Mert never missed a single practice.
from that day forward = from then onward
From then on, all customers had to place their orders through the website.
Henceforth, the factory will use only recycled materials in its packaging.
henceforth = very formal variant of from now on
From that point onward, the two friends never exchanged a harsh word again.
- from that day forward
- from this point forward
- from now forward
- from then forward
- onward
interchangeable in this pattern, perhaps slightly more formal
- henceforth
very formal, mainly in legal or official documents
- before
referring to a time earlier than the reference point
Grammar Patterns
from [time/event] + forward
Usage Note
Typically appears in the construction from [noun phrase] forward. More common in formal or written English than in casual speech.
5. toward a better state or a successful result; making progress on a task or proje
toward a better state or a successful result; making progress on a task or project.
The research team moved forward with the clinical trial after getting approval.
move forward with = continue progressing on a project
After months of talks, the peace deal moved forward at last.
Constanza felt her career was finally moving forward after the promotion.
The government urged the industry to go forward with the new safety standards.
go forward with = proceed with a plan
- move forward
- go forward
- press forward
- forward with
- forward on
- backward
regressing; losing ground
Grammar Patterns
move + forward + with + noun phrase
Usage Note
Often used with the prepositions with (move forward with) or to indicate area of progress. Contrast with fall back or stagnate.
6. starting now and continuing into the future; common in corporate language.
starting now and continuing into the future; common in corporate language.
Going forward, all staff must submit their reports by Friday.
going forward = from now on (business style)
The company will focus on Asian markets going forward, starting in Singapore.
Going forward, the department plans to hire two new engineers.
The board agreed that going forward, quarterly reviews would be mandatory.
- going forward
- henceforth
more formal and legal-sounding
- from now on
more natural in everyday speech
- previously
referring to the past
Grammar Patterns
going forward
Usage Note
Nearly always introduced by the participle going to form 'going forward'. Considered clichéd in some business writing; from now on is often preferred in everyday English.
Common Mistakes
look forward to
phrasal verbto feel pleased and excited about something that is going to happen.
Adina is looking forward to visiting her grandmother during the holiday.
The students said they were looking forward to the school trip.
come forward
phrasal verbto offer help, information, or one's services to the authorities or the public voluntarily.
The police asked witnesses to come forward with any information about the accident.
Several neighbours came forward to help the family after the fire.
put forward
phrasal verbto suggest an idea, plan, name, or proposal for other people to consider.
Quan put forward a proposal to reduce waste in the office kitchen.
The committee put forward three candidates for the position of chairperson.
move forward
phrasal verbto make progress or cause a project, plan, or situation to advance.
The company decided to move forward with the new product launch despite the delay.
After years of disagreement, the two sides are finally ready to move forward.
Moving repeatedly from one place or position to another and back again.
Maya paced backward and forward in the waiting room.
The pendulum swung backwards and forwards steadily.
going/moving forward
idiomFrom now on, in the future.
Going forward, we will review our budget monthly.
Moving forward, Diego plans to focus on his studies.
To try very hard to do something, especially when it is difficult or you are tired.
Even though she was exhausted, Sara put her best foot forward.
During the interview, Aiden put his best foot forward.
To change the time on clocks, usually by one hour, for daylight saving time.
Don't forget to put the clocks forward tonight.
We put the clocks back every autumn.
forward — adjective
1. oriented or moving so that the front faces the direction of travel or attention,
oriented or moving so that the front faces the direction of travel or attention, emphasizing direction rather than static location.
The train has both forward-facing and backward-facing seats.
forward-facing = directed toward the front
The forward motion of the small fishing boat made passengers seasick on the rough sea.
A forward roll is one of the first moves children learn in gymnastics.
The forward cabin of the ship has the best view of the ocean.
forward + cabin = located at the front of a ship
- forward motion
- forward facing
- forward seat
- forward position
- forward cabin
Grammar Patterns
forward + noun
Usage Note
Used before a noun to describe the direction something faces or moves. Can also appear in compound adjectives like forward-facing and forward-looking.
2. located in the foremost area of a vehicle, building, or space, describing a stat
located in the foremost area of a vehicle, building, or space, describing a static position rather than a direction of movement.
The forward section of the plane has more legroom for passengers.
forward section = front part of a vehicle
Élise sat in the forward row of the lecture hall to hear better.
The forward deck of the ferry was crowded with people watching the sunset.
Severe damage to the forward hull caused the cargo ship to take on water rapidly.
forward hull = front part of a ship's body
- forward section
- forward part
- forward deck
- forward row
- forward cabin
Grammar Patterns
the forward + noun
Usage Note
Common in technical descriptions of vehicles (planes, ships, cars) and large structures. Often contrasts with aft, rear, or stern in nautical/aviation contexts.
3. relating to or preparing for the future; showing an awareness of what will be ne
relating to or preparing for the future; showing an awareness of what will be needed later.
The bakery made a forward order of flour to lock in lower prices all year.
forward purchase = buying in advance for future need
Good forward planning helped the school avoid a budget crisis.
The city council agreed on a forward strategy to improve public transit over five years.
Forward orders allow farmers to sell their wheat at a guaranteed price before harvest.
forward contract = financial agreement for future delivery
- forward planning
- forward thinking
- forward strategy
- forward contract
- forward purchase
- backward
looking to the past
Grammar Patterns
forward + noun (planning, thinking, contract)
Usage Note
Frequently combines with nouns like planning, thinking, strategy, purchase, and contract. In finance, a forward contract is a specific legal agreement.
4. acting or speaking with a degree of confidence that goes beyond what is socially
acting or speaking with a degree of confidence that goes beyond what is socially expected, often seeming rude.
Justin's aunt thought it was forward of him to ask about her salary.
forward + of + person + to + verb
Maya did not mean to be forward; she was just very interested in the job.
Some considered his remarks too forward for a formal dinner party.
The mother told her son not to be so forward with strangers at the supermarket.
be forward with = behave too boldly toward someone
- too forward
- forward of someone
- be forward with
- bold
can be positive (confident) or negative; forward is more consistently negative
- presumptuous
stronger; implies the person assumed too much
- brazen
stronger; implies shamelessness
Grammar Patterns
be + forward
too + forward
Usage Note
Almost always carries a negative or disapproving tone. Less strong than rude or impolite — it suggests the person has crossed a social boundary without being openly offensive. More common in British English than American.
5. in cricket, positioned closer to the batter than the usual fielding position for
in cricket, positioned closer to the batter than the usual fielding position for that part of the field.
In the cricket match, the captain placed a fielder at forward short leg to catch any deflections off the bat.
forward short leg = specific cricket fielding position
In the match, the batsman was caught at forward square leg after mis-timing his shot by a split second.
The bowler noticed the batter stepping forward and asked for a fielder at forward short leg.
A fielder placed at forward point helped stop the batter's cover drives during the match.
forward point = fielding position in front of the batter
- forward short leg
- forward square leg
- forward point
- backward
in cricket, fielding positions further from the batter are called backward (e.g., backward square leg)
Grammar Patterns
forward + noun
Usage Note
Only relevant to cricket. Appears in compound fielding-position names such as forward short leg and forward square leg. These positions sit closer to the batter than the standard square leg or short leg positions.
forward-thinking
idiomhaving or showing ideas about what will be needed or popular in the future; progressive and modern.
The city's forward-thinking mayor introduced electric buses years before other cities did.
A forward-thinking company invests in renewable energy long before it becomes required by law.
forward — verb
1. to pass on a letter, package, or email that has reached your address so that it
to pass on a letter, package, or email that has reached your address so that it goes to the right person or place.
Please forward any letters to my new address in Taipei.
forward + something + to + new address
Lakshmi forwarded the email to all members of the team.
The hotel will forward your packages to you after you check out.
Could you forward this message to the person in charge of customer service?
polite request form: Could you forward...
- forward mail
- forward email
- forward a message
- forward a package
- forward to
- return
send back to the original sender
Grammar Patterns
forward + noun phrase
forward + noun phrase + to + recipient
Usage Note
The direct object is the item being sent on, and the recipient is introduced by to. For email, virtually all services have a Forward button that copies the message into a new composition.
Common Mistakes
forward — noun
1. a player in a team ball sport such as football, basketball, or hockey whose main
a player in a team ball sport such as football, basketball, or hockey whose main job is to attack and score goals or points.
The young forward scored two goals in the first half of the World Cup qualifier.
Dahlia plays as a forward for the national women's football team.
play as a forward = occupy the attacking position
The team needs a tall forward who can win headers from corner kicks.
The coach started three forwards in the game, with two midfielders supporting them from behind.
- centre forward
- play forward
- left forward
- right forward
- attacking forward
- defender
player whose main role is to stop the opposition from scoring
- goalkeeper
player who guards the goal
Grammar Patterns
the + forward
a + forward
Usage Note
Contrasts with defender (plays near own goal), midfielder (plays in the middle of the field), and goalkeeper (protects the goal). In basketball, forwards are typically divided into small forward and power forward.
2. one of the eight rugby players in the front positions who push during scrums and
one of the eight rugby players in the front positions who push during scrums and leap during lineouts, competing to obtain the ball.
In the rugby match, both forward packs pushed hard in the scrum for the ball.
rugby forwards = players in scrum/lineout
Kwame, strong in the scrum, plays as a forward for his university rugby club.
In the rugby lineout, two forwards lifted their teammate high to catch the ball.
A strong pack of forwards can dominate and decide a rugby match.
- forwards pack
- forward play
- rugby forward
- scrum forward
- back
in rugby, a player in the back line who typically runs with the ball
Grammar Patterns
the + forwards
a + forward
Usage Note
In rugby, forwards are distinct from backs (the faster, more skilled runners). The eight forwards are numbered 1-8 and include props, hooker, locks, flankers, and number eight.
Word family
- forwardsadverbA2
- forwardnessnounC1
- forward-lookingadjectiveB2
- forward-thinkingadjectiveB2
- unforwardedadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: adverb/1
Forward is the most general word for movement toward the front. It works with any verb of motion (step forward, move forward, lean forward) and is the only choice when describing physical posture or position. Ahead emphasises a location in front rather than the act of moving — you can stand ahead of someone or plan ahead, but you would not say 'lean ahead' in physical space. Onward carries a sense of continuing a journey or process after a pause or obstacle — 'the travellers pressed onward through the storm' — and is slightly more formal and narrative in tone. Forth is the most literary and archaic of the four; it survives mainly in fixed phrases such as go forth, set forth, and bring forth, and in solemn or religious contexts ('Go forth and multiply'). In everyday speech, forward remains the safest and most natural choice for physical direction, while ahead is preferred for temporal planning.
Common collocations
Nouns
- forward motion
- forward pass
- forward planning
- forward contract
- forward slash
- forward line
Adverbs
- forward
- straight forward
- quickly forward
- slowly forward
- directly forward
Phrases
- going forward
- from now forward
- forward and backward
- backward and forward
- forward-looking
Prepositions
- forward to
- forward from
- forward with
- forward of
Etymology
Forward comes from Old English foreweard, a combination of fore (meaning 'before, in front') and -weard (a suffix meaning 'toward a particular direction or state'). The word literally meant 'toward what is in front.' By the Middle English period (1200-1450) it had taken the forms forward and foreward, used both as an adverb ('toward the front') and as an adjective ('situated at the front'). The social meaning ('overly bold or presumptuous') emerged in the 1500s, following the logic that someone who moves too far 'forward' socially has crossed an invisible boundary. The verb sense of sending mail onward appeared in the 1700s, and the sports-position noun followed in the 1800s as modern team sports codified their formations.