: 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
ProPublica, 10 Jan. 2025
Fighting Irish kicker Mitch Jeter kicked the game-winning 41-yard field goal to cap off a back-and-forth battle between the two storied programs.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 10 Jan. 2025
Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2025
The transatlantic back and forth finally came to a close in 2016, the New York Supreme Court ruled that Rocco was to remain with his dad in London.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for back-and-forth 
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Noun
The back-and-forth with their DCFS licensing representative felt endless, correcting paperwork, resubmitting forms that got lost in the shuffle, hoping each submission would be the last one.
—ProPublica, 10 Jan. 2025
Fighting Irish kicker Mitch Jeter kicked the game-winning 41-yard field goal to cap off a back-and-forth battle between the two storied programs.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 10 Jan. 2025
Adverb
Soon, one of them, a gregarious red-headed senior at Shawnee Mission East High School, began to rock back and forth.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2025
The transatlantic back and forth finally came to a close in 2016, the New York Supreme Court ruled that Rocco was to remain with his dad in London.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for back-and-forth
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 19 Jan. 2025.
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