ass-backwards

adjective

Oriented backwards, particularly after a mishap.

“No wonder it doesn't work. The whole design is ass-backwards.”

Meanings

adjectiveass-backwards (comparative more ass-backwards, superlative most ass-backwards)

comparative more ass-backwards · superlative most ass-backwards · alternative ass backwards · alternative ass-backward · alternative ass backward · alternative back-asswards · alternative backasswards · alternative bass-ackwards · alternative bassackwards

  1. colloquialOriented backwards, particularly after a mishap.

    The car spun out of control and I ended up ass-backwards in a ditch.

  2. colloquialidiomaticHopelessly misguided; contrary to what is normal, expected, or logical; having taken the utterly wrong choice.

    No wonder it doesn't work. The whole design is ass-backwards.

adverbass-backwards (not comparable)

alternative ass backwards · alternative ass-backward · alternative ass backward · alternative back-asswards · alternative backasswards · alternative bass-ackwards · alternative bassackwards

  1. colloquialnot comparableMoving backwards, that is, rear end first.
  2. colloquialidiomaticnot comparableIn a hopelessly misguided manner; in a manner contrary to what is normal, expected, or logical.

    They did the whole design ass-backwards. No wonder it doesn't work.

Origin

Recorded in the US in the 1930s. From ass + backwards

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish perse edellä, päin persettä
  • perse edellämoving backwards, that is, rear end first
  • päin persettäin a hopelessly misguided manner
French en arrière
  • en arrièremoving backwards, that is, rear end first
German arschlings
  • arschlingsmoving backwards, that is, rear end first
Italian testacoda, alla cazzo di cane
  • testacodamoving backwards, that is, rear end first
  • alla cazzo di canein a hopelessly misguided manner
  • alla carlonain a hopelessly misguided manner
  • alla meglioin a hopelessly misguided manner
  • alla bell’e meglioin a hopelessly misguided manner
Polish od dupy strony, od dupy strony
  • od dupy stronymoving backwards, that is, rear end first
  • od dupy stronyin a hopelessly misguided manner
Russian за́дом наперёд, ра́ком
  • за́дом наперёд (zádom naperjód)moving backwards, that is, rear end first
  • ра́ком (rákom)moving backwards, that is, rear end first
  • ши́ворот-навы́ворот (šívorot-navývorot)in a hopelessly misguided manner
  • че́рез жопу (čérez žopu)in a hopelessly misguided manner
  • ра́ком (rákom)in a hopelessly misguided manner
Spanish a tuertas
  • a tuertasin a hopelessly misguided manner
Swedish bakåt, baklänges
  • bakåtmoving backwards, that is, rear end first
  • baklängesmoving backwards, that is, rear end first
Cite this entry
APA

ass-backwards. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ass-backwards

MLA

“ass-backwards.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ass-backwards. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ass-backwards,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ass-backwards.

Source: ass-backwards on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.