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

The items toward the back of the shelf measured below 41 degrees. — Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026

The entry has sight lines that extend to the formal dining room, a home office or den, and at the back of the Townhome, a spectacular family room that opens to the top of the second floor. — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026

Rookie forward Trevor Connelly had a goal and an assist, and defensemen Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore also found the back of the net. — ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026

Suarez’s pass caught Hoyos by surprise, and Berterame was perfectly positioned to head the ball into the back of the net with Hoyos out of position. — Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 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