backyard

noun back·yard \ ˈbak-ˈyärd \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of backyard

1 : an area at the rear of a house

2 : a nearby area : neighborhood

crimes committed in our own backyard

See backyard defined for English-language learners

See backyard defined for kids

Examples of backyard in a Sentence

We spent the evening relaxing in the backyard.
shocked to learn that the wind farm would be right in our own backyard

Recent Examples of backyard from the Web

Clark was fatally shot last month in his grandparents’ backyard after police received a call about a man breaking windows in the neighborhood.

— britni danielle, Essence.com, "Sen. Kamala Harris Says Stephon Clark’s Life ‘Should Not Have Been Lost’," 6 Apr. 2018
Even in the politically polarizing age of President Trump, local TV news has tried to remain a source for viewers who want to know what's going on in their backyards.

— stephen battaglio, latimes.com, "Backlash grows over Sinclair Broadcast Group's 'must-run' conservative content on local TV stations," 5 Apr. 2018
Homicide investigators said the man was walking in his backyard at his home near Chardonnay and Lakeside about 12:40 a.m. when shots were fired and he was hit in the stomach.

— samantha ketterer, Houston Chronicle, "Man shot in stomach outside Briarforest home," 4 Apr. 2018
Five Chester County families are being relocated while Sunoco Pipeline LP fixes sinkholes (yes, sinkholes) that damaged their backyards last month along the Mariner East 1 pipeline.

— aubrey nagle, Philly.com, "Villanova wins it all, no water in fatal nursing home fire, Cosby jury selection begins | Morning Newsletter," 3 Apr. 2018
The 22-year-old father of two’s death has sparked a wave of protests, with many calling for justice against the police officers who shot the unarmed black man in his grandparents’ backyard last week.

— jamie ducharme, Time, "Crowds Rally for Stephon Clark After Autopsy Reveals He Was Shot 6 Times in the Back," 31 Mar. 2018
Shawn Nee, a former photographer who launched the weekend pop-up in his East Hollywood backyard last year, buys meat from a nearby supermarket.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "How a Backyard Burger Pop-Up Became a Bona Fide Phenomenon," 29 Mar. 2018
Outside the arena, demonstrators gathered to protest the March 18 fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old black man who was in his grandparents’ backyard.

— michael wagaman, star-telegram, "Mavericks beat Kings to end 5-game skid amid protests | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 28 Mar. 2018
Kaiser says a subsequent investigation revealed that Pfeil’s 21-year-old neighbor was using his gun for target practice in his backyard and shooting toward a dirt berm, or embankment.

— kc baker, PEOPLE.com, "Woman Killed Next to Her Husband in Kitchen by Neighbor's Stray Bullet During Target Practice: Cops," 26 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'backyard.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of backyard

1618

backyard Synonyms

Synonyms

environs, neighborhood, purlieus, vicinity;

Related Words

environment, surround, surroundings;

backyard

adjective

Definition of backyard

: located or occurring in a backyard

a backyard barbecue

; also : lacking professional training : amateur

a backyard breeder

Examples of backyard in a Sentence

an orchid that is a favorite with backyard horticulturists

Recent Examples of backyard from the Web

There are about 100,000 meters installed throughout the city, many of which were added in the last 13 years as the Department of Utilities moved backyard water mains to the street and completed upgrades to street water mains.

— ellen garrison, sacbee, "Where's my water meter? Sacramento has installed 100,000 but many households still without | The Sacramento Bee," 28 Feb. 2018