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forward

/ˈfɔɹwəɹd/
adjectiveadverbverbnoun

FORWARD meaning shifts across rugby, soccer and hockey; the seven-letter word scores 14 Scrabble points and has one anagram.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Adjective 4 meanings

  1. Situated toward or at the front of something.

    “The fire was confined to the forward portion of the store.”

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

    “My forward vision is fine, but my peripheral vision is poor.”

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

    “forward motion, forward thrust, forward momentum”

  4. Moving in the desired direction of progress.

    “This is an important forward step for the country.”

Adverb 4 meanings

  1. At, near or towards the front of something.

    “She was sitting well forward in the railway carriage.”

  2. In the direction in which someone or something is facing.

    “I leant forward to get a better look.”

  3. In the desired or usual direction of movement or progress, physically or figuratively; onwards.

    “After spending an hour stuck in the mud, we could once again move forward.”

  4. So that front and back are in the usual orientation.

    “Don't wear your baseball cap backward; turn it forward.”

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To advance, promote.

    “He did all he could to forward the interests of the school.”

  2. To send (a letter, email etc.) on to a third party.

    “I'll be glad to forward your mail to you while you're gone.”

  3. To assemble (a book) by sewing sections, attaching cover boards, and so on.

  4. To arrive, come.

Noun 2 meanings

  1. An umbrella term for a centre or winger in ice hockey.

  2. The small forward or power forward position; two frontcourt positions that are taller than guards but shorter than centers.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

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”).

Similar and opposite words

Similar
forecastpredictedboldfreshimpertinentbrazenanteriorfront
Opposite
backposteriorrearrestrainedbackwardbackwards

FORWARD is a familiar seven-letter word with a less familiar cluster of sports meanings. In rugby, it names a pack player focused on winning and keeping possession; in soccer, it describes a player nearest the opposing goal. Hockey uses it as an umbrella term for a centre or winger, so the meaning depends on the sport, not just the letters.

FORWARD at a glance

  • FORWARD scores 14 points in Scrabble before any board-square bonuses.
  • F and W each contribute 4 points; the other letters add 6 altogether.
  • FROWARD is its sole anagram, using all seven letters in a different order.
  • FORWARN and NORWARD are its two one-letter neighbours.
  • Hard, board, award, toward and reward rhyme with FORWARD.

What does FORWARD mean?

In rugby, a forward is one of the eight players in the pack, whose main job is gaining and maintaining possession. The role contrasts with a back, so the word identifies a position group rather than a single spot on the field.

In soccer, a forward plays nearest the opposing goal and is principally responsible for scoring. Hockey uses the term more broadly for a centre or winger. Those sport-specific senses make FORWARD less simple than a single position label.

The spelling is ordinary, but the two one-letter neighbours are not everyday vocabulary. FORWARN and NORWARD are useful to recognize as letter-game neighbours, not as natural substitutes for FORWARD in a sentence.

What is FORWARD's Scrabble score?

FORWARD scores 14 points from its tiles: F and W are worth 4 each, D is worth 2, and O, A and both Rs are worth 1 apiece. A premium letter square can raise the total, while a word multiplier applies to the combined tile value.

The FORWARD meaning changes by sport, but its tile arithmetic stays fixed. FROWARD is the only anagram, while the two one-letter neighbours are unusual enough that you should check your game's word list before relying on them. FORWARD itself is accepted in Collins, NWL2023 and ENABLE.

Rhymes with forward

All rhymes

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • FORWARN13
  • NORWARD11

Questions people ask

Is FORWARD a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, FORWARD is accepted in Collins, NWL2023 and ENABLE. It scores 14 points before board bonuses, with the F and W supplying most of its tile value. The sports meanings include a rugby pack player and an attacking soccer player.
What is the anagram of FORWARD?
FROWARD is the only anagram of FORWARD. It rearranges the same seven letters, though it is much less familiar in everyday writing. Remembering the unusual anagram can matter in a word game when you have all the letters available.
What does FORWARD mean in sports?
In rugby, a forward belongs to the pack and works to gain and keep possession. In soccer, the position is nearest the opposing goal and chiefly responsible for scoring. In hockey, forward is an umbrella term for a centre or winger.

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