back and forth

movement communication

The phrase "back and forth" is often used to describe repetitive movement, exchanges of ideas, or regular travel between two points.

🇺🇸 US Voice:

🇬🇧 UK Voice:

Definition

A2General

(common)Moving repeatedly in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

Example

The children ran back and forth across the playground.
He paced back and forth while waiting for the news.

B1Communication

(common)An exchange of ideas, arguments, or information between people.

Example

The back and forth between the two debaters was intense.
They had a back and forth discussion about the project.

B1Travel

(common)Regular travel between two places.

Example

She commutes back and forth between her home and office every day.
The shuttle bus runs back and forth between the hotel and the airport.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "back and forth":

to and fro toing and froing back and fill back to back up and down go both ways two-way street back to front circle back right back talk back coming and going cut both ways round trip round and round hither and thither rap back go backwards bounce around back channel look up and down