back

back

verb

Definition of BACK

1

to promote the interests or cause of <she enthusiastically backed the plan to renovate and upgrade the school's facilities>

Synonyms advocate, back, champion, endorse (also indorse), patronize, plump (for), plunk (for) or plonk (for)

Related Words adopt, embrace, espouse; abet, aid, assist, help, prop (up), second, side (with); backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce (also reenforce); advance, forward, further; plug, preach, talk up; bail out, deliver, rescue, save

Near Antonyms baffle, foil, frustrate, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart; desert, disappoint, fail, let down

2

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 abet, aid, assist, back, backstop, prop (up), support

Related Words advance, ease, facilitate, forward, foster, further, launch; champion, endorse (also indorse), patronize, promote, sponsor; attend, care (for), comfort, minister (to), succor; sustain; bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce (also reenforce); advise, counsel, guide, mentor, nurture; bail out, deliver, rescue, save; embolden, encourage, hearten; benefit, favor, oblige, profit, serve

Near Antonyms balk, bar, block, constrain, hamper, handicap, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, restrain, strangle; baffle, foil, frustrate, inconvenience, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart; desert, disappoint, fail, let down; discourage, dishearten; repress, retard, stifle, straiten, stunt; damage, harm, hurt, injure

Antonyms hinder

3

to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) <the author needs to back her thesis with more facts>

Synonyms back, bolster, buttress, corroborate, reinforce (also reenforce), shore (up), substantiate

Related Words confirm, establish, prove, verify; affirm, avouch, validate

Near Antonyms undercut, undermine, weaken