backlist

noun

back·​list ˈbak-ˌlist How to pronounce backlist (audio)
: a list of books kept in print as distinguished from books newly published

Examples of backlist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Her publisher, Knopf, is also rereleasing her backlist with brand new covers. Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 My publisher for non-Dilbert books has canceled my upcoming book and the entire backlist. Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2023 Today its imprints include commercial lines such as Atria (Vince Flynn, Colleen Hoover, Jodi Picoult, Brad Thor) and the venerable Scribner (Stephen King, Kiese Laymon, Jesmyn Ward) whose backlist features F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Dan Sinykin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2023 This impressive backlist reminds us, yet again, how often great books emerge from small presses. Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 12 May 2023 Some industry analysts say the sale will accelerate a long-running trend that has taken hold over the last decade, as publishers have grown more dependent on blockbuster titles and backlist sales, resulting in fewer opportunities for new writers and midlist authors. New York Times, 25 Nov. 2020 Since then, Shepherd’s memoir, The Living Mountain, has become one of Canongate’s bestselling backlist books. Ailsa Ross, Longreads, 4 Apr. 2023 And avant-garde publishing, the best like the worst, is almost wholly an affair of backlists. Anne Fadiman, Harper’s Magazine , 16 Feb. 2023 Many backlist and frontlist titles were rendered unsalvageable due to the water. Adrienne Gibbs, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backlist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backlist was in 1946

Dictionary Entries Near backlist

Cite this Entry

“Backlist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backlist. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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