# Backwash

> Water rushing back out after a wave hits the beach, which can bounce into and spoil the next wave.

**What "backwash" means in surfing:** Water rushing back out after a wave hits the beach, which can bounce into and spoil the next wave.

**Example:** "The backwash on high tide is wrecking every wave."

**Category:** Conditions

## Related words

- [Shorebreak](https://surfslang.com/shorebreak): Waves that break right on the sand, usually fast, hard and close to the beach.
- [Wedge](https://surfslang.com/wedge): A wave that jumps up suddenly when a second wave or backwash merges with it, making a steep, peaky shape.

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Source: [Backwash](https://surfslang.com/backwash) on Surfslang.com, the surf slang glossary. Full glossary: https://surfslang.com/llms.txt