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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective or adverb
But one season removed from the worst campaign in franchise history, the Pistons became the first team to triple its win total from the season before during back-to-back 82-game seasons. Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025 The Gators took a 7-5 lead on back-to-back RBI doubles by Bobby Boser and Brendan Lawson in the sixth inning against Arkansas right-hander Will McEntire. Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 27 Apr. 2025 Defensive backs Jadyn Hudson and Jadyn Marshall made interceptions on back-to-back plays to lead the defense. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025 The club produced back-to-back shutouts for the first time since last September against the Washington Nationals. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Back-to-back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back-to-back. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!