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

Synonyms of back of

• in back of
• behind

Examples of back of in a Sentence

the equipment shed is a concrete structure back of the school

Recent Examples on the Web

Fedors is still not back in his house after flames from the Eaton Fire tore through the back of his property, wiping out the vegetation that held his slope together. —Lauren Pozen, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026

While in the back of a patrol car outside the home, Ramirez apparently suffered a medical emergency and went unconscious. —Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026

Video of the incident showed a masked federal agent fire multiple shots into Good's SUV, which is then seen continuing up the street before slamming into the back of another car. —Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026

The upper gradually tapers away toward the back of the foot, leaving the heel exposed in an easy-on mule style. —Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 8 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1694, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for back of

• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• dove
• glove
• love
• shove
• hereinabove

Kids Definition

back of

preposition

informal

: behind entry 2 sense 1

out back of the barn