Illustration of forehand
- forehand 3
forehand
1 of 3noun
fore·hand ˈfȯr-ˌhand 
1
archaic : superior position : advantage
2
: the part of a horse that is before the rider
3
: a forehand stroke (as in tennis or racquets)
also : the side on which such strokes are made
forehand
2 of 3adjective
1
obsolete : done or given in advance : prior
2
: made with the palm of the hand turned in the direction in which the hand is moving
a forehand tennis stroke
forehand
3 of 3adverb
: with a forehand stroke
Example Sentences
Noun She hit a forehand across the court.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeneé Osterheldt, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2022 Serena Era drew to a close when Williams drove her last forehand into the net. Joshua Robinson, WSJ, 3 Sep. 2022 The spectators saved their biggest cheers for some of Serena’s best efforts, whether aces or putaways or an on-the-run forehand winner. Howard Fendrich, ajc, 2 Sep. 2022 In the third game, Kontaveit fought off two break points and held serve with a running forehand winner down the line. Brandon Griggs, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 When using his forehand, his out rate is at 90 percent. Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 9 Aug. 2022 Swiatek, whose forehand is arguably one of the tour’s most powerful, said the balls may put her at a disadvantage. Julian Mark, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 That the forehand and backhand strokes were the same gave them a leg up over an average person playing for the first time, but learning the intricacies took more time. Wilson Moore, The Indianapolis Star, 15 July 2022 Now Djokovic was the one controlling baseline rallies, particularly by picking on Kyrgios’s forehand out wide. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 11 July 2022 See More
Noun
Serena Williams played a forehand return in the 2018 French Open. Jeneé Osterheldt, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2022 Serena Era drew to a close when Williams drove her last forehand into the net. Joshua Robinson, WSJ, 3 Sep. 2022 The spectators saved their biggest cheers for some of Serena’s best efforts, whether aces or putaways or an on-the-run forehand winner. Howard Fendrich, ajc, 2 Sep. 2022 In the third game, Kontaveit fought off two break points and held serve with a running forehand winner down the line. Brandon Griggs, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 When using his forehand, his out rate is at 90 percent. Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 9 Aug. 2022 Swiatek, whose forehand is arguably one of the tour’s most powerful, said the balls may put her at a disadvantage. Julian Mark, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 That the forehand and backhand strokes were the same gave them a leg up over an average person playing for the first time, but learning the intricacies took more time. Wilson Moore, The Indianapolis Star, 15 July 2022 Now Djokovic was the one controlling baseline rallies, particularly by picking on Kyrgios’s forehand out wide. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 11 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1557, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adverb
1925, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
forehand
noun
fore·hand ˈfȯr-ˌhand
: a stroke in sports played with a racket made with the palm of the hand turned in the direction in which the hand is moving