back-and-forth

Meanings

1. 1nounsingularinformal

   A lively exchange of remarks, arguments or offers between people, going from one side to the other.

   Grammar: Usually used with a: a lot of back-and-forth, a long back-and-forth.

   Patterns

   • a back-and-forth between X and Y
   • a back-and-forth over something

   After weeks of back-and-forth, the two companies agreed on a price.

   There was a lively back-and-forth between the speakers about funding.

   The email back-and-forth took most of the afternoon.

2. 2nounsingular

   Movement in one direction and then the opposite, again and again.

   Grammar: Describes repeated motion: the back-and-forth of the pendulum.

   Patterns

   • the back-and-forth of something

   The steady back-and-forth of the ferry kept the island connected.

   I could hear the back-and-forth of footsteps in the hallway above.

   The rocking chair settled into a gentle back-and-forth.

3. 3adjectivebefore a noun

   Going repeatedly in one direction and then the other, or passing between two sides.

   Grammar: Comes before a noun: a back-and-forth discussion.

   Patterns

   • a back-and-forth discussion

   They had a back-and-forth debate that lasted well into the night.

   The back-and-forth motion of the saw tired his arm.

   It was a back-and-forth match, with the lead changing hands twice.

Common combinations

a lot of back-and-forth

There was a lot of back-and-forth before the contract was signed.

endless back-and-forth

I am tired of the endless back-and-forth over the schedule.

email back-and-forth

A short email back-and-forth settled the question.

back-and-forth between

The back-and-forth between the two lawyers grew heated.

after some back-and-forth

After some back-and-forth, they picked a date.

Synonyms and how they differ

exchange

Exchange is neutral and can be a single swap, whereas back-and-forth implies several rounds.

to-and-fro

To-and-fro is more common in British English and more often describes physical movement.

give-and-take

Give-and-take stresses mutual compromise, while back-and-forth only says the exchange goes both ways.

toing and froing

This British phrase suggests fussy or tiresome repeated activity, a slightly more critical tone than back-and-forth.

Word family

back adverb

in the direction you came from

forth adverb

forward or outward, as in going back and forth

backward and forward adverb

a similar phrase for movement in two opposite directions

Commonly confused: back-and-forth or back and forth?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “back-and-forth”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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