1
2
3
as in backward
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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of back
Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
From there, the tool offers up five colors, with explanations for how each suits the theme or prompt and links back to further information about those colors and their importance.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 5 Nov. 2025
Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
Rob counted ransom money, his back turned.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
And by backing Lula, the winner, against Bolsonaro’s claims that the elections were rigged.
—Ron Kampeas, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Twice early in the second half, Minteh provided teasing inswinging crosses to the back post for Gomez, who met the first of those, but with a poor connection.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back
Adverb
Tom Bergeron is, surprisingly, headed back to the ballroom.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
From there, the tool offers up five colors, with explanations for how each suits the theme or prompt and links back to further information about those colors and their importance.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
His first bullet grazed the president’s arm, but the second bullet struck Garfield in his lower back.
—Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
Rob counted ransom money, his back turned.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
The criticism came from fans who felt the prince should’ve backed a team from a Commonwealth country rather than his new home base in California.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
And by backing Lula, the winner, against Bolsonaro’s claims that the elections were rigged.
—Ron Kampeas, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
The gap under the back door meant the kitchen had an Arctic climate in the winter and a slug infestation all year round.
—Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Twice early in the second half, Minteh provided teasing inswinging crosses to the back post for Gomez, who met the first of those, but with a poor connection.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back
Adverb
-
The storied choice between socialism and barbarism was made exquisitely clear a good many years ago in the United States, and both major parties chose barbarism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
And JCPenney shed hundreds of stores in its 2020 bankruptcy and is now down to 650 locations, from 1,100 a decade ago.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Most of his wealth is in original Class A shares, which currently trade around $750,000 each.—
,
CNBC,
11 Nov. 2025
-
However, leave it to one of the biggest heels around, Dominik Mysterio, to interrupt the proceedings.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Suarez, who watched the game from the stands, was suspended for an incident involving Nashville defender Andy Najar in Game 2 of the series when Suarez kicked his right leg backwards into Najar’s midsection.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Now, industry eyerolling at the thought of listening faster has existed since the majority of audio storytelling moved from terrestrial radio—where there’s no skipping, scrubbing forward or backward, and certainly no way to speed things up—to podcasting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
There are also dual Akrapvoic exhausts poking out the rear, framed by slim taillights.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Authorities added that Roman rushed to the rear of the burning ATV and helped get a 6-year-old out — later identified as a family friend — who was having trouble opening the door.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The actress manages to pull this off with subtlety and grace in a movie that could have easily gone straight for the emotional jugular.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Two months before Twilight kicked off the glittery vampire craze, Alan Ball’s True Blood had already put an original, sexy spin on the jugular-draining genre.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After the defeat, Barr co-founded the nonprofit Can’t Win Victory Fund to support other long-shot candidates and advocate against gerrymandering.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Manzano was one of the first Latinas on a national television show and has spent her career advocating for diversity on television.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The album’s first-week sales were aided by its availability across six vinyl variants (including one signed), four CD variants (one signed) and a standard digital download album (all with the same tracklist).—
Keith Caulfield,
Billboard,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Spirits Spirits are disembodied beings who are occasionally called upon to aid specific humans (usually witches), but can sometimes become harmful.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The initiative is structured around three sequential and mutually reinforcing workstreams that aim to accelerate lowering emissions, boosting efficiency and building long-term resilience.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Nov. 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 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share