back·yard
ˈbak-ˈyärd 
1
: an area at the rear of a house
2
: a nearby area : neighborhood
crimes committed in our own backyard
: located or occurring in a backyard
a backyard barbecue
Synonyms
Examples of backyard in a Sentence
Noun
We spent the evening relaxing in the backyard.
shocked to learn that the wind farm would be right in our own backyard
Adjective
an orchid that is a favorite with backyard horticulturists
Recent Examples on the Web
Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
On Thursday, a section of 13th Street was blocked off so the ADU could be hoisted by crane and eased onto a slab foundation in the backyard.
—David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024
In 2017, Elizabeth Reaser was hosting a dog playdate in the backyard at her house in Silver Lake.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2024
Advertisement Adding pebble walkways helped solve problems with runoff and standing water in the backyard.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Harmon was upstairs, putting food in a squirrel feeder, while her children were in the backyard.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
First responders reportedly found the couple's 2-year-old boy face down in a pool in the backyard.
—USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
This robot lawn mower also has a sweeper kit that removes debris from your backyard, such as leaves, sticks, and waste.
—Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2024
The Digital Egg Hunt: AI Brings Joy to Every Corner
Gone are the days when Easter egg hunts were confined to backyards and community parks.
—Neil Sahota, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2024
He’s designed and constructed about 250 of them, ranging from backyard follies to a monumental work in response to the 2011 tsunami to a jungle perch with views of Angkor Wat in Cambodia (created for a commercial for the Japanese lottery).
—Tom Vanderbilt Josh Robenstone, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2023
Learn how to improve the health and productivity of backyard citrus trees.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2023
In November, the CDC recommended that people who interact with birds that look sick – even in backyard flocks – should wear disposable gloves, boots, eye protection and an N95 respirator or a face mask.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 10 Mar. 2023
This is not some squabble over the backyard fence or even long-simmering animosities.
—Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2023
Paint a pallet a summery color, then mount it to a sturdy surface, such as the wall of a garden shed or a backyard fence.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022
At home, most Santa Marians slice the meat into thick steaks to cook on a backyard-style Santa Maria grill (santamariagrills.com).
—Sunset Magazine, 1 July 2022
He was attracted to the backyard view of the buttress, which looks more like a lush hillside than a strategy to keep landslides at bay.
—Hannah Frystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2022
Noun
From black tie to backyard, Nordstrom Rack has wedding guest dresses for every kind of spring ceremony.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
On Thursday, a section of 13th Street was blocked off so the ADU could be hoisted by crane and eased onto a slab foundation in the backyard.
—David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024
In 2017, Elizabeth Reaser was hosting a dog playdate in the backyard at her house in Silver Lake.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2024
Advertisement Adding pebble walkways helped solve problems with runoff and standing water in the backyard.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Harmon was upstairs, putting food in a squirrel feeder, while her children were in the backyard.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
First responders reportedly found the couple's 2-year-old boy face down in a pool in the backyard.
—USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
This robot lawn mower also has a sweeper kit that removes debris from your backyard, such as leaves, sticks, and waste.
—Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2024
The Digital Egg Hunt: AI Brings Joy to Every Corner
Gone are the days when Easter egg hunts were confined to backyards and community parks.
—Neil Sahota, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Adjective
So, how did these once-elusive forest dwellers become backyard birds in only a few decades?
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2024
He’s designed and constructed about 250 of them, ranging from backyard follies to a monumental work in response to the 2011 tsunami to a jungle perch with views of Angkor Wat in Cambodia (created for a commercial for the Japanese lottery).
—Tom Vanderbilt Josh Robenstone, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2023
Learn how to improve the health and productivity of backyard citrus trees.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2023
In November, the CDC recommended that people who interact with birds that look sick – even in backyard flocks – should wear disposable gloves, boots, eye protection and an N95 respirator or a face mask.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 10 Mar. 2023
This is not some squabble over the backyard fence or even long-simmering animosities.
—Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2023
Paint a pallet a summery color, then mount it to a sturdy surface, such as the wall of a garden shed or a backyard fence.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022
At home, most Santa Marians slice the meat into thick steaks to cook on a backyard-style Santa Maria grill (santamariagrills.com).
—Sunset Magazine, 1 July 2022
He was attracted to the backyard view of the buttress, which looks more like a lush hillside than a strategy to keep landslides at bay.
—Hannah Frystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backyard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near backyard
Cite this Entry
“Backyard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backyard. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
backyard
noun
back·yard
-ˈyärd
1
: an area in back of a house
2
: an area in which one has a special interest
More from Merriam-Webster on backyard
Nglish: Translation of backyard for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of backyard for Arabic Speakers
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