back-to-back

1 of 2

adjective or adverb

ˈbak-tə-ˈbak 

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

Synonyms of back-to-back

Adjective or adverb

• together
• successively
• consecutively
• running
• repeatedly

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

Adjective or adverb

The Georgia Department of Transportation has planned back-to-back closures this weekend and next on different sections of the busy Atlanta interstate, requiring detours and causing significant delays. — Sara Gregory, AJC.com, 30 July 2026

Brooks, who is recovering from back-to-back ACL injuries, took a kick return rep midway through practice and seemingly tripped with his momentum taking him head-first into rookie linebacker Jackson Kuwatch’s ankles. — Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2026

At the franchise level, RCB topped both the brand value and business value rankings for the first time in league history, its brand worth rising 16% to $312 million on the strength of back-to-back IPL and Women’s Premier League titles. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 July 2026

After allowing the first basket, the Sparks went on a 9-0 run, but back-to-back three-pointers by Ionescu pulled New York to within one. — Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

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

Rhymes for back-to-back

• almanac
• camelback
• cardiac
• carryback
• cluniac
• diamondback
• lumberjack
• maniac
• paperback
• piggyback
• quarterback
• saddleback