About
About adverb - Toward the opposite direction.
Usage example: turned about and saw the dog following him
Backward
Backward adverb - Toward the opposite direction.
Usage example: the loud noise prompted him to glance backward to see what was happening
About is a synonym for backward in approach topic. Sometimes you can use "About" instead the word "Backward" as an adverb or an adjective, if it concerns topics such as precede, toward the rear.
Cite this Source
Backward and About. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/about/backward
About & Backward. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/about/backward>.
Backward or About. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/about/backward.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "about" and "backward" have occurred on timeline