back of

preposition

US, informal
: behind
… stood leaning against a parked car out back of the building …Peter Goldman et al.
They now sit … just two games back of the Yankees in the wild card race.Steve Buckley

Examples of back of in a Sentence

the equipment shed is a concrete structure back of the school
Recent Examples on the Web Then, last week, he was hit in the back of the leg by a pickoff throw at first base, resulting in a right hamstring contusion that has limited his ability to run full speed on the bases. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2024 The title comes from short biographies Nichols and May wrote for the back of one of their comedy albums. Dwight Garner, New York Times, 27 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for back of 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'back of.' 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

1694, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of back of was in 1694

Dictionary Entries Near back of

Cite this Entry

“Back of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20of. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

back of

preposition
informal
: behind entry 2 sense 1
out back of the barn
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!