EN

Synonyms for behind

25 synonyms
6 antonyms
2 meanings

noun
preposition

Most common

after bottom back posterior

Synonyms by meaning

Noun

1. Bottom

after, bottom, back, posterior, butt, rear, can, back-side, seat, rump, following, ass, tail, derriere, tail-end, backward, bum, fundament, stern, rearward, fanny, pratt

Other

Preposition

1. In back of — at or to the back or far side of

in back of informal US CA, a-back

Antonyms

ahead, in front, before

All antonyms of behind →

Definitions

n. 1
The rear, back-end.
She sneaked up on me from behind.
prep. 1
At or to the back or far side of.
The sun went behind the clouds.

Related words

Word family: behind-the-scenes
Phrases: leave behind fall behind get behind drop behind streets behind behind-the-scenes stay behind behind bars

Forms

Plural: behinds → afters, bottoms, backs, posteriors…

Choose the right word

Behind, Hindrance or Hind?

A hindrance (kindred with hind, behind) is anything that makes one come behind or short of his purpose.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

back You shouldn't talk back to your parents like that.
bottom There must be something at the bottom of all this.
rear Speak louder for the benefit of those in the rear.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
behind		rising
back		rising
bottom		steady
rear		steady
bafta		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: can¹, ass¹, bum¹
4 letters: back¹, seat¹, rear¹, butt¹, tail¹, rump¹
5 letters: after², stern¹, pratt¹, fanny², bafta
6 letters: bottom²
8 letters: backward², rearward, derriere
9 letters: following³, posterior³, fundament

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (after² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: derrière