back-to-back
1 of 2adjective or adverb
1
: facing in opposite directions and often touching
2
: coming one after the other : consecutive
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
Geoffrey Moorhouse2
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
Jack McCallumExamples 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
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 21 Jan. 2026
On the second night of a back-to-back without Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles could do nothing to chip away at the lead before crumbling in the fourth.
2.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
The Kings are 2-5 this season when playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
—Hector Amezcua, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026
For the past two weeks, Ball has come off the bench in one of the games of a back-to-back, eschewing his typical starting role, to maximize his availability in both games.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back-to-back
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
That's especially true for the U.S. women: Stars like Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are each looking for their first Australian Open title, while defending champion Madison Keys takes on Ashlyn Krueger, hoping to become the tournament's first American back-to-back champion since Serena Williams.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 21 Jan. 2026
On the second night of a back-to-back without Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles could do nothing to chip away at the lead before crumbling in the fourth.
2.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
The Kings are 2-5 this season when playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
—Hector Amezcua, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026
For the past two weeks, Ball has come off the bench in one of the games of a back-to-back, eschewing his typical starting role, to maximize his availability in both games.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back-to-back
Cite this Entry
“Back-to-back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back-to-back. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
