1
as in exchanges
a giving or taking of one thing of value in return for another
after the usual back-and-forth of official gifts, the two leaders entered into a serious discussion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in discussions
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue
the others listened with relish to the back-and-forth between the two noted professors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of back-and-forths
LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have all had public back-and-forths with Smith over the years.
—
Dan Zaksheske Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
With each witness, Guillard — in her role as her own attorney — challenged their testimony in sometimes testy back-and-forths that had to be refereed by the judge and court staff.
—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
27 Feb. 2026
Kelce and Nicole, 34, broke up multiple times throughout their five years together, and made several public comments and back-and-forths about each other on social media and in interviews over the years.
—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Given the awkward back-and-forths seen thus far and, even more so, Robinson’s history playing poor communicators, the description is hard to believe.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
The rapper and boxer have had social media back-and-forths with Remy on several occasions due to the situation.
—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
25 Sep. 2025
But unlike some of the classic back-and-forths of the past Probst would have during challenges with folks like Penner and Parvati Shallow, Survivor 49 will also air interactions that take place on both sides of the contests.
—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Republicans and Democrats engaged in many back-and-forths during the hearing on Wednesday that began in the morning and is expected to last into the evening.
—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Our back-and-forths with a chatbot, in turn, exteriorize our private, internal dialogues, which some consider constitutive of thought itself.
—
Dan Rockmore,
New Yorker,
9 Aug. 2025
Dan Zaksheske Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
With each witness, Guillard — in her role as her own attorney — challenged their testimony in sometimes testy back-and-forths that had to be refereed by the judge and court staff.
—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
27 Feb. 2026
Kelce and Nicole, 34, broke up multiple times throughout their five years together, and made several public comments and back-and-forths about each other on social media and in interviews over the years.
—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Given the awkward back-and-forths seen thus far and, even more so, Robinson’s history playing poor communicators, the description is hard to believe.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
The rapper and boxer have had social media back-and-forths with Remy on several occasions due to the situation.
—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
25 Sep. 2025
But unlike some of the classic back-and-forths of the past Probst would have during challenges with folks like Penner and Parvati Shallow, Survivor 49 will also air interactions that take place on both sides of the contests.
—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Republicans and Democrats engaged in many back-and-forths during the hearing on Wednesday that began in the morning and is expected to last into the evening.
—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Our back-and-forths with a chatbot, in turn, exteriorize our private, internal dialogues, which some consider constitutive of thought itself.
—
Dan Rockmore,
New Yorker,
9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back-and-forths
Noun
-
The resulting arguments, trolling and nasty exchanges can signal to the algorithm that the content is engaging, prompting it to show those posts to even more people who are likely to react and further amplify the conversation.
-
Even small transfers through regulated exchanges can trigger checks that require firms to collect and share identifying information about the parties to the transfer.
Noun
-
Harry's decision comes amid ongoing discussions with the royal family to acquire an appropriate level of security for his family, including Meghan Markle and their two children, Princess Lilibet, 5, and Prince Archie, 7.
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More than 70 students heard directly from Holocaust survivors and educators before participating in smaller breakout discussions.
Noun
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The decisions come at a moment when long-standing debates over race and identity have turned toward immigration, increasing racial diversity and the fairness of policies meant to prevent and redress discrimination.
-
Still, Republican lawmakers in Florida and Washington have repeatedly cited Tren de Aragua as evidence of the security risks posed by weak border enforcement, making the gang a central talking point in broader immigration debates.
Noun
-
The agency made the changes without the customary professional consultations, KFF has reported.
-
Indeed, among 20 nations evaluated in a recent report released by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation dedicated to healthcare analyses, Americans are the most likely to skip medications, treatments, tests, and consultations due to costs.
Noun
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After those conversations, Rubey developed a ritual to bless the sites where people had died from suicide.
-
Fear over airstrikes on Iran, which pervaded many conversations with locals during the war, has evaporated.
Noun
-
Qatar also said technical talks between Iran and the United States are continuing, but there are currently no high-level meetings between the two.
-
The Iranian regime’s apparent hesitancy to resume in-person talks is a significant step back from the high-level talks that took place in Switzerland earlier this month following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the countries.
Noun
-
Nissen consults for statin-makers AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis and Pfizer but does not receive financial compensation.
-
Talcove consults with the government on tracking illicit funds.
Cite this Entry
“Back-and-forths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back-and-forths. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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