1
: a large log at the back of a hearth fire
2
: an accumulation of tasks unperformed or materials not processed
a backlog of court cases
Examples of backlog in a Sentence
Noun
We have a huge backlog of orders to be filled.
Recent Examples on the Web
Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner, 30 Nov. 2023
Recent estimates show a backlog of repairs and upgrades needed at city parks totaling more than $1 billion.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Nov. 2023
Even as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to find a way to override the court, critics said the policy was a distraction from the most pressing issue: an enormous backlog of unresolved asylum cases that has ballooned under the Conservatives, to 140,000 this year from about 22,000 in March 2018.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 18 Nov. 2023
Guidance confirms the group’s resilience and strategic positioning, Deutsche says, with confidence underpinned by a high backlog and positive net price/cost dynamics.
—WSJ, 16 Nov. 2023
One of the topics up for negotiation is how to handle the 17 Vega flights currently in Arianespace's backlog.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 10 Nov. 2023
The backlog of multifamily units under construction has grown 56% since 2020, and the pipeline of new developments has begun to narrow.
—Alena Botros, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2023
Developers are struggling to justify moving ahead with large, capital intensive offshore wind developments after facing surging costs from inflation, which has sent materials and services costs higher, supply-chain backlogs, and higher cost of capital due to rising interest rates.
—Dominic Chopping, WSJ, 1 Nov. 2023
The federal money helped the state Department of Health Services clear out a backlog of several thousands of non-syphilis STD investigations that had been stalled for years, said Rebecca Scranton, the deputy bureau chief of infectious disease and services.
—Kenya Hunter, Fortune Well, 28 Oct. 2023
Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2022
The 2023 tax season is already looking stressful, with the IRS' returns backlog growing and the agency warning Americans that their refunds might come later than usual.
—Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2022
During 2021, Energy Resources added 7.2 GW of new wind, solar and energy storage projects to backlog, which has grown at a 20 percent compound annual rate since 2017.
—Roger Conrad, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2022
Outside of that May backlog, Alabama’s case count hasn’t been this high since March - though cases are still well below the highs seen here in December and January.
—al, 13 Aug. 2021
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Noun
The backlog of Pentagon nominees, which could grow to as large as 650 by the end of the year, is typically approved without objection, usually in batches.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner, 30 Nov. 2023
Recent estimates show a backlog of repairs and upgrades needed at city parks totaling more than $1 billion.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Nov. 2023
Even as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to find a way to override the court, critics said the policy was a distraction from the most pressing issue: an enormous backlog of unresolved asylum cases that has ballooned under the Conservatives, to 140,000 this year from about 22,000 in March 2018.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 18 Nov. 2023
Guidance confirms the group’s resilience and strategic positioning, Deutsche says, with confidence underpinned by a high backlog and positive net price/cost dynamics.
—WSJ, 16 Nov. 2023
One of the topics up for negotiation is how to handle the 17 Vega flights currently in Arianespace's backlog.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 10 Nov. 2023
The backlog of multifamily units under construction has grown 56% since 2020, and the pipeline of new developments has begun to narrow.
—Alena Botros, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2023
Developers are struggling to justify moving ahead with large, capital intensive offshore wind developments after facing surging costs from inflation, which has sent materials and services costs higher, supply-chain backlogs, and higher cost of capital due to rising interest rates.
—Dominic Chopping, WSJ, 1 Nov. 2023
The federal money helped the state Department of Health Services clear out a backlog of several thousands of non-syphilis STD investigations that had been stalled for years, said Rebecca Scranton, the deputy bureau chief of infectious disease and services.
—Kenya Hunter, Fortune Well, 28 Oct. 2023
Verb
Related:Infractions backlog likely to push Louisville basketball's case into a sixth year NCAA's Complex Case Unit's allegations against Louisville men's basketball: 1.
—Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2022
The 2023 tax season is already looking stressful, with the IRS' returns backlog growing and the agency warning Americans that their refunds might come later than usual.
—Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2022
During 2021, Energy Resources added 7.2 GW of new wind, solar and energy storage projects to backlog, which has grown at a 20 percent compound annual rate since 2017.
—Roger Conrad, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2022
Outside of that May backlog, Alabama’s case count hasn’t been this high since March - though cases are still well below the highs seen here in December and January.
—al, 13 Aug. 2021
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backlog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
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Cite this Entry
“Backlog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backlog. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
backlog
noun
back·log
-ˌlȯg,
-ˌläg
1
: a large log at the back of a fire in a fireplace
2
: an accumulation of tasks that have not been finished
More from Merriam-Webster on backlog
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for backlog
Nglish: Translation of backlog for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of backlog for Arabic Speakers
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