What does forwarded mean?
"Forwarded" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "to forward," which means to send something — most often a letter, email, phone call, or package — on to its intended recipient, typically after it has first arrived somewhere else. The word is central to modern communication: emails are forwarded to colleagues, calls are forwarded to mobile phones, and postal mail is forwarded when people change address. Its tone is practical and neutral, belonging firmly to everyday administrative and digital life rather than formal or literary language. The underlying idea is relay: acting as an intermediary who passes something along toward its destination. Derived ultimately from Old English words indicating movement toward the front or onward, "forward" shares roots with terms like "forth" and "foreword." Because so much daily correspondence depends on being passed along, this unassuming little participle quietly describes one of the most common actions in the connected world.
verb"Forwarded" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "forward," meaning to send something — such as a letter, email, or parcel — on to another destination or recipient.
- To send a letter, message, email, or package on to an intended recipient, especially after receiving it at an intermediate address.
- (Of mail) to be redirected to a new address when the recipient has moved.
- To pass along information, such as a joke, notice, or document, to others.
"She forwarded the email to her manager before leaving the office."
"The receptionist forwarded my call to the accounts department."
"After moving flats, he asked the post office to have his mail forwarded for six months."
Every day, billions of emails are forwarded — making this humble verb one of the most frequently performed actions in modern communication.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of forwarded
"Forwarded" comes from the verb "forward," which derives from Old English "forðweard," meaning directed toward the front or onward, formed from "fore" (front) plus "-weard" (a suffix meaning turned toward). Related English words from the same family include "forth," "beforehand," and "foreword," all built around the same Germanic fore-root. The verb sense of sending items on to a destination developed later, becoming especially prominent with the growth of postal services and, more recently, electronic mail.
Related word forms
How forwarded is actually used
"Forwarded" is used almost exclusively in contexts involving mail, email, calls, and deliveries, so it carries a practical, everyday register. In email etiquette, forwarding someone's private message without permission can be seen as impolite, giving the word a mild ethical dimension in workplace culture. It is standard in both British and American English, though British speakers may also use "onward" or say a letter has been "sent on."
Easily confused with forwarded
Both end in a similar '-arded' sound, but "forwarded" means sent onward to a recipient, while "rewarded" means given a prize or recognition in return for effort.