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

Lee’s Summit firefighters save dog The Lee’s Summit Fire Department responded to multiple calls just after midnight Thursday from neighbors who reported the back of a house in the 500 block of Southeast Fourth Terrace was on fire, according to a news release. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 1 Jan. 2026

Everyone is so happy in the back of that truck for, like, 30 seconds. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2026

Most dog hoodies will include a hole at the back of the neck, through which owners can route a leash. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025

After tightly squeezing him in a hug, Erika moved her hand to the back of JD's head, and his hands briefly rested on her waist. —Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025

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