1
2
as in around
toward the opposite direction
turned back for one last comment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in backwards
toward the rear
concert security asked the crowd to move back
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in jugular
a vulnerable point
a candidate needing a loyal aide who can be relied upon to always watch his back
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to advocate
to promote the interests or cause of
she enthusiastically backed the plan to renovate and upgrade the school's facilities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to aid
to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end
a number of influential people have already agreed to back the candidate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea)
the author needs to back her thesis with more facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hind
being at or in the part of something opposite the front part
she carried all the presents in the back door, as the children were playing in the front yard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of back
Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Seek out the people who reflect your vision back to you with clarity.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
So Larry opened the door, and Jason’s got these two killer dogs in the back.
—Thr Staff, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2025
The film is written by Katja Kallio and backed by the Finnish Film Foundation, YLE, SF Studios, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the Finnish Film Impact Fund (FIFF), West Finland Film Commission (WFFC) and the Church Media Foundation.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
The carrier turned around, caught up to the van and took photos, including of the back license plate.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back
Adverb
Cameron’s team built machines that were water jet propelled so that his actors could rocket through the water under the surface, come up and fly above the surface and then dive back in, all the while letting the technology drive the story and vice versa.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Seek out the people who reflect your vision back to you with clarity.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
The Seahawks will have Pro-Bowl defensive backs Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love back on the field after both missed last week's game due to injuries.
—Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
So Larry opened the door, and Jason’s got these two killer dogs in the back.
—Thr Staff, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
And there’s serious science to back it up.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2025
The film is written by Katja Kallio and backed by the Finnish Film Foundation, YLE, SF Studios, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the Finnish Film Impact Fund (FIFF), West Finland Film Commission (WFFC) and the Church Media Foundation.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
And in a different year, with a different quarterback, the outcome was the same early in Monday night’s first quarter as Higgins pivoted to his back-shoulder and slammed to the turf with a 19-yard catch.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
The carrier turned around, caught up to the van and took photos, including of the back license plate.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back
Adverb
-
Buchanan, 72, joined the board two years ago as part of a group of new appointees.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Persistent lower back pain, despite two surgeries to relieve a herniated disc a few years ago—blame an unathletic youth and an adulthood spent hunched over a computer.—
Peter J. Frank,
Robb Report,
25 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
With up to 150 hours of burn time, there’s plenty of holiday cheer to go around.—
L. Daniela Alvarez,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The two planes were around 5,200 feet (1 mile) at their closest points, according to the FAA.—
Ayesha Ali,
ABC News,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Love, the last driver above the current elimination line, leads Sanchez by five points, Hill by seven, Harrison Burton (20th Saturday after starting from the rear) by eight and Smith by 14.—
Reid Spencer,
Kansas City Star,
28 Sep. 2025
-
For some reason, Mansory chose not to add a spoiler to the rear.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There will be plenty of temptation to go right for the jugular Monday night against a beleaguered Bengals defense.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
25 Sep. 2025
-
My bullet had penetrated the neck between the jugular and the bone, missing the spine by a fraction.—
Robert Easton,
Outdoor Life,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the 1960s, child psychoanalyst Bruno Bettelheim advocated for separating autistic children from their mothers, according to Vicedo.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
26 Sep. 2025
-
October is Filipino American History Month, a time to uplift the contributions of Filipino Americans across the generations while continuing to advocate for a just society, according to the Filipino American National Historical Society.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Photos from the scene show several police cars and fire trucks outside the American Fish Company as first responders aided the injured.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
-
There have been a lot of calls for arms embargoes and a halt to aid for Israel.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Pettersson’s sturdy performances over the weekend, and the fact that the club gave him a lengthy look on Sunday on the right side, would seem to have reinforced his incumbency in the battle for a spot in the opening-night lineup.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
He was sacked only once, and that was the result of his fumbling the ball backward, and then having to scramble to recover it.—
Jim Keyser,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Video footage captured by fans in the crowd sees Young falling backwards, prompting members of her band to leap up and help her.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Sep. 2025
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Cite this Entry
“Back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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