1
: a stay extending aft from a masthead
2
: a strengthening or supporting device at the back (as of a carriage or a shoe)
Examples of backstay in a Sentence
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At the same time, backstay cables that ran from the tower to the ground came loose and swung around wildly.
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John Timmer, Ars Technica, 3 Dec. 2020
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John Timmer, Ars Technica, 3 Dec. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Backstay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backstay. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.
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