Meanings
alternative dialectal ahind · alternative behine
- At or to the back or far side of.
Look behind you!
5 more examples
The children were hiding behind the wall.
Behind the garage needs clearing asap.
The sun went behind the clouds.
I hide behind you in hide and seek.
But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. […]The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window[…], and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.
1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLCSynonyms: in back of, to the rear of, a-back · Antonyms: in front of, in front of
- figurativelyConcealed by (something serving as a facade or disguise).
Behind the smile was a cruel intention.
Synonyms: in back of, to the rear of, a-back · Antonyms: in front of, in front of
- figurativelyIn the past, from the viewpoint of.
All my problems are behind me.
Synonyms: in back of, to the rear of, a-back · Antonyms: in front of, in front of
- Less forward or advanced than; after.
- After in developmental progress, score, grade, etc.; inferior to.
In the cricket match, England are 120 runs behind India.
2 more examples
I'm ranked sixth in the French class, behind five other pupils.
For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Corinthians 11:5Antonyms: ahead of
- Responsible for, being the creator or controller of.
Who is behind these terrorist attacks?
2 more examples
Mr Jones was the man behind the redevelopment plan.
Bud Light replaces Marketing VP behind Dylan Mulvaney partnership.
2023, Ian Miller, OutKick - Underlying, being the reason for or explanation of.
What is behind this unexpected decision?
- In support of.
The republicans are fully behind their candidate.
- USinformalsometimes regarded as nonstandardFollowing, subsequent to; as a result or consequence of; because of.
He was like, 'Fuck the police! Fuck you! You know who I am, you gonna quit playing with me, bitch.' I'm like let's go. 'Cause I wasn't trying to go to jail behind that shit.
2012, DeShawn Dorsey, Longsuffering Through Emotional Wounds, page 40
comparative more behind · comparative nonstandard rare behinder · superlative most behind · nonstandard rare superlative behindest · alternative dialectal ahind · alternative behine
- At or in the rear or back part of something.
The water flows out through the pipe, and the sediment collects behind.
- In a rearward direction.
We ran and ran, without once looking behind.
- So as to come after someone or something in position, distance, advancement, ranking, time, etc.
The slower runners were left a long way behind.
3 more examples
In the cricket match, England finished a long way behind.
The worst thing about autumn is that winter follows behind.
I shall not lag behind.
1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC - So as to be still in place after someone or something has departed or ceased to exist.
He stayed behind after the war.
4 more examples
I couldn't be bothered to carry the ironing board, so I left it behind.
He left behind a legacy of death and sorrow.
The island was inundated by the sea, leaving not a trace behind.
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, / Leave not a rack behind.
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i] - Backward in time or order of succession; past.
[…] forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Philippians 3:13 - Behind the scenes in a theatre; backstage.
‘After the performance was over I went behind, and spoke to her.’
1890, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Vintage, published 2007, page 68 - archaicNot yet brought forward, produced, or exhibited to view; out of sight; remaining.
We cannot be sure that there is no evidence behind.
1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 4, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book I, page 16
comparative more behind · comparative nonstandard rare behinder · superlative most behind · nonstandard rare superlative behindest · alternative dialectal ahind · alternative behine
plural behinds · alternative dialectal ahind · alternative behine
- The rear, back-end.
She sneaked up on me from behind.
1 more example
This part fits under the behind of the vehicle.
- informalThe buttocks, bottom, butt.
I was stung on the behind by a wasp.
3 more examples
There was a girl in the mattress factory with me during the war, girl about thirty. A big one, kind of a fat face, big behind to her, big titties, kind of a girl should be human and soft with a man.
1949 May, Albert Maltz, chapter VII, in The Journey of Simon McKeever, 1st edition (Fiction), Boston: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC, page 101"So the catheter didn't have anything to do with keeping him from touching himself?" I don't usually go in for euphemisms, but Fineg is a man who says "behind", as in "I have a picture where he bit me in the behind." The catheter, it turns out, was in the chimp's femoral artery (to monitor blood pressure), not his urethra.
2010, Mary Roach, “One Furry Step for Mankind: The Strange Careers of Ham and Enos”, in Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, W. W. Norton & Company, →ISBN, page 158"The dog got excited, was jumping around inside the boat and then it jumped on the gun. It went off, shooting the [decoy setter] in the buttocks," Box Elder County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Kevin Potter told the Salt Lake Tribune. Twenty-seven rounds of birdshot were removed from the man's behind after the accident.
2011 December 12, Alyssa Newcomb, “Sit, Stay, Aim, Fire. Dog Shoots Another Hunter”, in ABC News, archived from the original on 25 Oct 2021 - Australian rules footballA one-point score.
A roar from ten thousand throats go up, For we've kicked another behind.
1880, “The Opening Ball”, in G. Lehmann, editor, Comic Australian Verse, 1975, quoted in G. A. Wilkes, A Dictionary of Australian Colloquialisms, second edition, Sydney University Press, published 1985, →ISBN - slangball gamesThe catcher.
- In the Eton College field game, any of a group of players consisting of two "shorts" (who try to kick the ball over the bully) and a "long" (who defends the goal).
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositionAt or to the back or far side of.
prepositionConcealed by (something serving as a facade or disguise).
prepositionIn the past, from the viewpoint of.
prepositionAfter in physical progress or distance.
prepositionAfter in developmental progress, score, grade, etc.; inferior to.
prepositionAfter in time.
nounSynonym of ass (“synecdochic: a person or their body”).
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivehaving the lower score or lagging position in a contest
nounthe fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
adverbshowing a time that is earlier than the actual time
adverbin debt
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-West Germanic*bi-
- Proto-West Germanic*bihindan
- Old Englishbehindan“on the back side of, behind”
- Middle Englishbehinde
- Englishbehind
From Middle English behinde, behinden, from Old English behindan (“on the back side of, behind”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihindan, *bihindini (“on the back side of, in the rear of, behind”), from Proto-West Germanic *bi- + *hindō (“the hind side, back part”), equivalent to be- + hind. Compare Old Saxon bihindan (“behind”, adverb), Middle High German behinter (“behind; back”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans agter
- agterat the back of
Ancient Greek ὄπισθεν
- ὄπισθεν (ópisthen)at the back of
Arabic وَرَاءَ, وَرَاءَ
- وَرَاءَ (warāʔa)after, time- or motion-wise
- وَرَاءَ (warāʔa)at the back of
- خَلْفَ (ḵalfa)at the back of
- وَرَاء (warāʔ)to the back of
- خَلْفَ (ḵalfa)to the back of
Basque atzean
- atzeanat the back of
Bulgarian зад, зад
- зад (zad)after, time- or motion-wise
- зад (zad)in support of
- зад (zad)at the back of
- наза́д (nazád)to the back of
- отза́д (otzád)at the back part; in the rear
- задница (zadnica)rear, back-end
- задник (zadnik)buttocks
Catalan després, darrere
- desprésafter, time- or motion-wise
- darrerein support of
- a favor dein support of
- darrereat the back of
- rereat the back of
- endarrereto the back of
- enrereto the back of
- darrereat the back part; in the rear
- rereat the back part; in the rear
- enrerebackward in time or order of succession
- endarreretoward the back part or rear; backward
- enreretoward the back part or rear; backward
- darrererear, back-end
- darrerebuttocks
Chinese Mandarin ...後面 /...后面, ...後邊 /...后边
- ...後面 /...后面 (... hòumiàn)at the back of
- ...後邊 /...后边 (... hòubiān)at the back of
- ...後面 /...后面 (... hòumiàn)to the back of
- ...後邊 /...后边 (... hòubiān)to the back of
Czech za, za
- zaat the back of
- zato the back of
- vzaduat the back part; in the rear
- zpátkytoward the back part or rear; backward
Danish bagefter, efter
- bagefterafter, time- or motion-wise
- efterafter, time- or motion-wise
- bagin support of
- bag vedat the back of
- bag vedto the back of
- bagefterto the back of
- bagudat the back part; in the rear
- tilbageso as to be still in place afterwards
- tilbagetoward the back part or rear; backward
- bagsiderear, back-end
- bagdelbuttocks
- rumpebuttocks
Dutch na, achter
- naafter, time- or motion-wise
- achterin support of
- achterat the back of
- achteraanat the back of
- achteraanto the back of
- achtereindrear, back-end
- achtereinderear, back-end
- achterkantrear, back-end
- achterzijderear, back-end
- achterstebuttocks
- achterwerkbuttocks
- achterhandbuttocks
Esperanto malantaŭ, postaĵo
- malantaŭat the back of
- postaĵobuttocks
Estonian taga, taga
- tagaafter, time- or motion-wise
- tagain support of
- tagaat the back of
- tahato the back of
- tagaosarear, back-end
- tagumikbuttocks
Finnish takana, jäljessä
- takanaafter, time- or motion-wise
- jäljessäafter, time- or motion-wise
- takanaresponsible for
- takanain support of
- takanaat the back of
- taakseto the back of
- takanaat the back part; in the rear
- takaosassaat the back part; in the rear
- jäljessäat the back part; in the rear
- jälkeensäso as to be still in place afterwards
- jäljelleso as to be still in place afterwards
- takanabackward in time or order of succession
- piilossanot yet brought forward
- löytymättänot yet brought forward
- taaksetoward the back part or rear; backward
- jälkeentoward the back part or rear; backward
- takaosarear, back-end
- takapuolirear, back-end
- perärear, back-end
- peräpäärear, back-end
- takapuolibuttocks
- takamusbuttocks
- peppubuttocks
- pakaratbuttocks
- peräbuttocks
French après, derrière
- aprèsafter, time- or motion-wise
- derrièrein support of
- derrièreat the back of
- derrièreto the back of
- reversrear, back-end
- derrièrebuttocks
German hinter, hinter
- hinterafter, time- or motion-wise
- hinterat the back of
- hinterto the back of
- hintenat the back part; in the rear
- Hinternbuttocks
Greek πίσω από
- πίσω από (píso apó)at the back of
Hebrew מאחורי, מאחורי
- מאחורי (me'akhoréi)after, time- or motion-wise
- מאחורי (me'akhoréi)in support of
- מֵאָחוֹר (me'akhór)at the back of
- מאחורי (me'akhoréi)at the back of
- מֵאָחוֹר (me'akhór)to the back of
- מאחורי (me'akhoréi)to the back of
Hindi के पीछे, के पीछे
- के पीछे (ke pīche)at the back of
- के पीछे (ke pīche)to the back of
- पीछे (pīche)at the back part; in the rear
- पीछा (pīchā)rear, back-end
Hungarian valaminek a végén, hátul
- valaminek a végénafter, time- or motion-wise
- hátulafter, time- or motion-wise
- utánafter, time- or motion-wise
- mögöttresponsible for
- mögöttat the back of
- utánat the back of
- mögéto the back of
- hátulat the back part; in the rear
- hátratoward the back part or rear; backward
- hátsó részrear, back-end
- hátuljarear, back-end
- fenékbuttocks
- farbuttocks
- ülepbuttocks
- hátsóbuttocks
Irish taobh thiar de, ar chúl
- taobh thiar deat the back of
- ar chúlat the back of
- ar gcúlat the back part; in the rear
- ar deireadhat the back part; in the rear
- ar gcúltoward the back part or rear; backward
Italian dopo, dietro
- dopoafter, time- or motion-wise
- dietroat the back of
- dietroto the back of
- dietroat the back part; in the rear
Japanese ...の後ろに, 尻
- ...の後ろに (...no ushiro ni)at the back of
- 尻 (shiri)buttocks
Korean 뒤에
- 뒤에 (dwi-e)at the back of
Latin post, post
- postafter, time- or motion-wise
- postat the back of
- pōneat the back of
- postto the back of
Latvian pirms, aiz
- pirmsafter, time- or motion-wise
- aizat the back of
- aizto the back of
Lithuanian už
- užat the back of
Malay sesudah, di belakang
- sesudahafter, time- or motion-wise
- di belakangat the back of
- ke belakangto the back of
Norwegian bak, stå bak
- bakafter, time- or motion-wise
- stå bakresponsible for
- bakin support of
- bakat the back of
- bakto the back of
Norwegian Bokmål bak, bakside
- bakrear, back-end
- baksiderear, back-end
- bakdelrear, back-end
- bakdelbuttocks
- rumpebuttocks
- bakbuttocks
Persian پشت
- پشت (pošt)at the back of
Polish po, za
- poafter, time- or motion-wise
- zaresponsible for
- (być) zain support of
- zaat the back of
- z tyłuto the back of
- tyłrear, back-end
- zadrear, back-end
- dupabuttocks
- zadbuttocks
Portuguese depois, por trás
- depoisafter, time- or motion-wise
- por trásresponsible for
- apoiandoin support of
- atrásat the back of
- detrás deat the back of
- atrásto the back of
- para trásat the back part; in the rear
- para trástoward the back part or rear; backward
- traseirarear, back-end
- traseirobuttocks
- bundabuttocks
Punjabi پِچھّے, ਪਿੱਛੇ
- پِچھّے (pnb)at the back of
- ਪਿੱਛੇ (picchē)at the back of
Romanian după, în urmă
- dupăat the back of
- în urmăat the back part; in the rear
- în spateat the back part; in the rear
- spre spatetoward the back part or rear; backward
- îndărăttoward the back part or rear; backward
- spre-napoitoward the back part or rear; backward
- spaterear, back-end
- urmărear, back-end
Russian позади́, по́сле
- позади́ (pozadí)after, time- or motion-wise
- по́сле (pósle)after, time- or motion-wise
- за (za)in support of
- за спино́й (za spinój)in support of
- за (za)at the back of
- сза́ди (szádi)at the back of
- позади́ (pozadí)at the back of
- за (za)to the back of
- сза́ди (szádi)at the back part; in the rear
- позади́ (pozadí)at the back part; in the rear
- наза́д (nazád)toward the back part or rear; backward
- вспять (vspjatʹ)toward the back part or rear; backward
- зад (zad)rear, back-end
- тыл (tyl)rear, back-end
- зад (zad)buttocks
- за́дница (zádnica)buttocks
Scottish Gaelic air cùlaibh, air cùl
- air cùlaibhat the back of
- air cùlat the back of
Slovak po, za
- poafter, time- or motion-wise
- zaafter, time- or motion-wise
- zaresponsible for
- zain support of
- zaat the back of
- zato the back of
- vzaduat the back part; in the rear
- späťtoward the back part or rear; backward
- zadokrear, back-end
- zadokbuttocks
- pozadiebuttocks
Spanish después, detrás de
- despuésafter, time- or motion-wise
- detrás deat the back of
- atrásat the back of
- detrásto the back of
- detrásat the back part; in the rear
- arredroat the back part; in the rear
- atrástoward the back part or rear; backward
Swahili nyuma, nyuma
- nyumaafter, time- or motion-wise
- nyumain support of
- nyumaat the back of
- nyumato the back of
- nyumaat the back part; in the rear
- nyumarear, back-end
Swedish efter, bakom
- efterafter, time- or motion-wise
- bakomin support of
- bakomat the back of
- bakomto the back of
- bakomat the back part; in the rear
- baktilltoward the back part or rear; backward
- bakrear, back-end
- baksidarear, back-end
- akterrear, back-end
- ändarear, back-end
- bakbuttocks
- ändabuttocks
Tagalog nasa likod, sa likod
- nasa likodin support of
- sa likodat the back of
- sa likodto the back of
Thai ข้างหลัง
- ข้างหลัง (kâang lăng)at the back of
Turkish arkasında
- arkasındaat the back of
Ukrainian за, поза
- за (za)at the back of
- поза (poza)at the back of
- поза́ду (pozádu)at the back part; in the rear
- зад (zad)rear, back-end
- зад (zad)buttocks
- ду́па (dúpa)buttocks
- сра́ка (sráka)buttocks
Urdu کے پیچھے, کے پیچھے
- کے پیچھے (ke pīche)at the back of
- کے پیچھے (ke pīche)to the back of
- پیچھے (pīche)at the back part; in the rear
- پیچھا (pīchā)rear, back-end
Vietnamese sau
- sauat the back of
Welsh tu cefn, tu cefn i
- tu cefnat the back of
- tu cefn iat the back of
- tu cefnto the back of
- tu cefn ito the back of
- tu cefnso as to be still in place afterwards
- tu cefntoward the back part or rear; backward
Yiddish הינטער, הינטער
- הינטער (hinter)at the back of
- הינטער (hinter)to the back of
Zulu emuva, emuva
- emuvaafter, time- or motion-wise
- emuvaat the back of
- ngasemuvato the back of
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with behind
Cite this entry
behind. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/behind
“behind.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/behind. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “behind,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/behind.
Source: behind on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.