English▸ noun [in singular] a swimming stroke performed on the back with the arms lifted alternately out of the water in a backward circular motion and the legs extended and kicking:
I concentrated on the backstroke most of the time
[as modifier] I won the backstroke and breaststroke events
[as adverb] they would swim freestyle and then backstroke.
▪ (the backstroke) a race, typically of a specified length or kind, in which the backstroke style of swimming is used:
he was fifth in the 200-meter backstroke.