backup

1 of 2

noun

back·​up ˈbak-ˌəp 

often attributive

1

a

: one that serves as a substitute or support

I brought an extra pencil for backup.

a backup plan

b

: musical accompaniment

The tunes include banjo and guitar backup.

c

: additional personnel who provide assistance

The police officer called for backup.

2

: an accumulation caused by a stoppage in the flow

traffic backup

3

: a copy of computer data (such as a file or the contents of a hard drive)

I made a backup copy of the file.

also : the act or an instance of making a backup

back up

2 of 2

verb

backed up; backing up; backing up

intransitive verb

: to accumulate in a congested state

traffic backed up for miles

transitive verb

1

: to move into a position behind (a teammate) in order to assist on a play

2

: hold back sense 1

3

: to make a copy of (a computer file or data) to protect against accidental loss or corruption

Be sure to back up your work.

also : to make copies of all the files on (a device)

a program that automatically backs up your hard drive

Synonyms

Noun

• bottleneck
• jam
• jam-up
• logjam
• snarl
• tailback [British]
• tie-up

Examples of backup in a Sentence

Noun

His role on the team is to be a backup to the regular quarterback.

We have an extra radio as a backup in case this one doesn't work.

We have an extra radio for backup.

He provides backup for the regular quarterback.

She sang backup on his CD.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After losing the starting job to Ethan Garbers before the season, then winning it after one game, then losing it again amid three consecutive games with a pick-six, Moore ended the season as Garbers’ backup. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2023

Which is lucky, because there is only one of him, no backup. —Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023

Since then, starting quarterback Deshaun Watson has undergone season-ending shoulder surgery, backup P.J. Walker has struggled, and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson is currently in concussion protocol. —Jim Ingraham, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023

Last week, shortly before the crucial Black Friday shopping day, the mall’s management scrambled to fix sewer backups that were causing raw sewage to seep onto the sidewalk near the main entrance. —Kate King, WSJ, 26 Nov. 2023

Three backups — defensive end Wyatt Draeger, linebacker Vai Kaho and safety Deshawn McCuin — will also be honored, which means the Aztecs are losing 13 of the 44 players on their two-deep roster. —Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Nov. 2023

Android is supposed to have a data backup system for apps, but because that doesn't work well and isn't forced on every app, many users have no backups at all. —Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 7 Nov. 2023

Several at the fest predicted a major wave of productions now going into gear, fueled by the backup in shooting caused by the strike. —Will Tizard, Variety, 20 Nov. 2023

Advertisement Rams Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford gives thumbs up on injury, new backup Carson Wentz Nov. 16, 2023 Former backup Brett Rypien relieved Stafford against the Cowboys and started in his place against the Packers. —Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2023

Verb

Israel has dropped leaflets in Gaza warning Palestinians that the truce is only temporary and not to move back up north. —Anna Schecter, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2023

Act fast to score these early Black Friday deals before prices shoot back up. —Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023

With the industry beginning to power back up now that the writers’ and actors’ strikes have ended, Hawley confirmed plans to resume production in 2024. —Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023

But the team had a back up to the backup plan; one that had never been attempted. —Discover Magazine, 17 Nov. 2023

Beijing is now struggling to reverse the trend and get fertility rates back up again. —Lionel Lim, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2023

Meanwhile, the price of Bitcoin has been staggering back up from post-FTX fallout. —WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023

Unlike the more uniform bioluminescence seen in specimens taken onto ships, the light was shining from the sea cucumber’s head to tail and then back up similar to a wave. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Nov. 2023

Another group Trump has lost, and needs to pick back up, is white suburban women. —Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 15 Nov. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1801, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

backup

1 of 2 noun

back·​up ˈbak-ˌəp 

1

: a person or thing that takes the place of or supports another

has a backup in case he gets sick

2

: a gathering or piling up because the flow has been stopped

a traffic backup

3

: a copy of a computer file to protect against loss of data

also : the act or an instance of making a backup

back up

2 of 2 verb

1

: to gather or pile up because the flow has been stopped

traffic backed up for miles

2

: to make a copy of (as a computer file) to protect against loss of data