Meaning & use
backstroke
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
A way of swimming on your back, moving your arms in circles one after the other.
Grammar: Uncountable; say 'swim backstroke' or 'do the backstroke'.
Patterns
- swim backstroke
- do the backstroke
- the backstroke
She won the race by swimming backstroke faster than anyone else.
He prefers backstroke because he can breathe easily.
The coach taught the children how to do the backstroke.
nouncountable
A single stroke made with the arm in this swimming style.
Grammar: Countable; often used in the plural 'backstrokes'.
Patterns
- a backstroke
- backstrokes
She took three strong backstrokes to reach the wall.
His backstrokes were smooth and powerful.
Word forms
| plural | backstrokes |
|---|
Common combinations
- swim backstroke
- I can swim backstroke but not butterfly.
- 100 meters backstroke
- He competed in the 100 meters backstroke.
- backstroke race
- The backstroke race was the last event of the day.
- do the backstroke
- The beginners learned to do the backstroke first.
Word family
- stroke noun
- A single movement of the arm or a style of swimming.
- backstroker noun
- A swimmer who specializes in backstroke.
Commonly confused: backstroke or backstroke?
backstroke vs backstroke
Not to be confused with 'backpack' or 'backhand'.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
Backstroke is usually uncountable, so 'swims backstroke' is correct. 'The backstroke' is possible but less common; 'a backstroke' and 'backstrokes' refer to single strokes, not the style.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “backstroke”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.