BACKWARD-LOOKING Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

backward-looking

adjective

Definition of backward-looking

as in nostalgic

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of backward-looking The backward-looking sound sometimes pushes the band toward exciting switch-ups. — Victoria Borlando, Pitchfork, 24 July 2026 Since the 2008 financial crisis, virtually every major piece of legislation – from Dodd-Frank to subsequent banking reforms – has been backward-looking, designed to address past crises rather than prepare for the next frontier. — Patrick McHenry, Fortune, 16 July 2026 Jeremy Porter, chief economist at First Street, said the backward-looking models are not correcting for climate and for all the sources of risk. — Diana Olick, CNBC, 18 June 2026 As a result, Moyn says, the country’s fate and character are being determined not by forward-looking people in their youth or their prime but by backward-looking ones in the final third of their lives. — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for backward-looking

Recent Examples of Synonyms for backward-looking

Adjective

Disneyland will invite longtime fans to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane next year with a fireworks show, parade and nighttime spectacular that entertained visitors over the past two decades.

— Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2026
Once a hallmark of ’70s interiors, this nostalgic green is finding new life as a warm, earthy neutral.

— Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of nostalgic

Adjective

Join Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-creator Dan Goor and cast members for an exclusive retrospective celebrating the beloved NBC comedy.

— Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Aug. 2026
Wolff believes this gives the agency more immediate visibility into client performance, rather than relying solely on retrospective reporting.

— Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of retrospective

Adjective

But that fear is also producing an increasingly dangerous critical climate in which audiences are being subtly encouraged to inspect every project for a philosophical smoking gun.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
Voters, whether explicitly or not, wrestle with this philosophical fight.

— Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of philosophical

Adjective

Summary Top companies are revolutionizing decision-making by leveraging location as a critical analytical lens, moving beyond mere data points.

— Brian Cross, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
An analytical number theorist and an expert in partial differential equations often don’t speak the same language.

— Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of analytic

Browse Nearby Words

backward

backward-looking

backwash

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“Backward-looking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backward-looking. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of backward-looking

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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