back-to-back

1 of 2

adjective or adverb

1
: facing in opposite directions and often touching
2
: coming one after the other : consecutive

back-to-back

2 of 2

noun

plural back-to-backs
1
British : a house that is connected in a row with other houses on each side and with a similar row of houses behind it
These were where the millworkers dwelt, the worst of them known as back-to-backs because that is how they were built, without intervening space.Geoffrey Moorhouse
2
sports : a sequence of two games scheduled to be played on consecutive days
Miami began to beat elite teams and was bloodlessly efficient in the second half of back-to-backs, winning 11 in a row over a three-month stretch, a sign of a team with toughness.Jack McCallum

Examples of back-to-back in a Sentence

Adjective or adverb the three movies in the series were filmed back-to-back so that the cast members wouldn't age visibly on screen the new governor was soon facing several back-to-back crises
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective or adverb
During these back-to-back infusions of Virgo energy over our self-expression (the sun) and our inner emotional world (the moon), we'll be offered a fresh start to organize our approach to work, health, and beliefs in ways that better support our overall well-being. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2025 With just two concert tours, Beyoncé amassed nearly $1 billion in ticket grosses with back-to-back runs. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 Golden State has not played a back-to-back game this season. Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2025 The live event will make nine stops across six cities: The tour will begin in October with two back-to-back shows at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, followed by another pair of shows at Toronto’s Massey Hall. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for back-to-back

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective Or Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of back-to-back was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Back-to-back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back-to-back. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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