visited back and forth

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "visited back and forth" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something is moving repeatedly between two places or engaging in reciprocal visits. Example: "During the summer, we visited back and forth between our grandparents' house and the beach house."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

They visited back and forth, and he proposed to her.

The New Yorker

The family visited back and forth, on holidays, birthdays and summer vacations, and planned eventually to live together in South Carolina.

The New York Times

We visited back and forth for almost two years, and then in April 2010, I moved here to be with him and my now-stepson (the best, smartest, funniest, most handsome 17 year old on the planet).

The Guardian - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

They visit, back and forth, taking long road trips.

The New York Times - Books

"We used to visit back and forth all the time," says Delfin.

The Guardian

He had a studio nearby, so that he and Lucy could visit back and forth as the spirit moved them.

The New Yorker

Families and dignitaries have been visiting back and forth ever since, the Americans searching for their roots and the English searching for sunshine and parking space.

The New York Times

The story, as told by several people who claimed to know all about, seemed to involve an excessive number of telephone calls and quite a bit of visiting back and forth and up and down by way of service elevators.

The New Yorker

But this is a relaxed, familial kind of elegance, marked by much visiting back and forth, the exchange of horse gossip, laughter, and the discussion of small hunch bets.

The New Yorker

"You make friends when it's warm so when it gets dreary you have connections and can visit back and forth," said Mrs. Locke, who was stationed at the bottom of the slide and urging Niall, 5, and William, almost 3, to play nice and take turns.

The New York Times

"Over these calls and visits back and forth, as hard as I tried not to, I was falling for Kyle".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using a more formal alternative like "alternated visits" in academic writing to maintain a professional tone.

Common error

While grammatically sound, "visited back and forth" can sound informal in some contexts. Opt for alternatives like "alternated visits" or "engaged in reciprocal visits" to maintain a more sophisticated tone in academic or business writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "visited back and forth" primarily functions as a verbal phrase indicating a recurring action. Ludwig examples show it describing families, dignitaries, or officials engaging in reciprocal visits or travel between two places.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "visited back and forth" is a grammatically correct way to describe repeated travel or reciprocal visits between two places. According to Ludwig, it is used to depict families, dignitaries, or officials moving between locations. While generally neutral, it's more informal than alternatives like "alternated visits". Use it to effectively illustrate a recurring pattern of interaction between two entities.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

alternated visits

Highlights the reciprocal nature of the visits.

exchanged visits

Similar to 'alternated visits' but with a stronger sense of reciprocity.

traveled to and fro

Emphasizes the movement aspect more than the visiting aspect.

shuttled between

Suggests a frequent and regular movement, often for a specific purpose.

commuted between

Implies a regular journey, typically for work or study.

went back and forth

A more general term for moving between two locations without specifically mentioning visiting.

ping-ponged between

Suggests rapid and frequent movement, often due to external factors.

frequently visited

Focuses on the frequency of visits without the back-and-forth implication.

regularly traveled

Highlights the travel aspect and its regularity.

repeatedly visited

Emphasizes the repetition of the visits.

FAQs

How can I use "visited back and forth" in a sentence?

You can use "visited back and forth" to describe a recurring pattern of visits between two locations or people, such as: "The family "visited back and forth" between their house in the city and their cottage in the countryside".

What does "visited back and forth" mean?

"Visited back and forth" means to repeatedly visit two places or people, implying a reciprocal exchange of visits. It suggests a continuous movement between two locations.

Are there any synonyms for "visited back and forth"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "traveled to and fro", "alternated visits", or "commuted between" depending on the context.

Is "visited back and forth" formal or informal?

"Visited back and forth" leans toward the informal side. In formal writing, consider alternatives such as "exchanged visits" or "alternated visits".