plural backs
1
a(1)
: the rear part of the human body especially from the neck to the end of the spine
(2)
: the body considered as the wearer of clothes
They were left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
(3)
: capacity for labor, effort, or endurance
Put your back into it!
(4)
: the back considered as the seat of one's awareness of duty or failings
get off my back
(5)
: the back considered as an area of vulnerability
the police officer's partner always watches his back
b
: the part of a lower animal (such as a quadruped) corresponding to the human back
riding on the back of an elephant
c
: spinal column
She had surgery on her back.
d
: spine sense 1c
The title is on the book's back.
2
a
: the side or surface opposite the front or face
I only saw him from the back.
: the rear part
the back of the head
the back of the mirror
also
: the farther or reverse side
wrote the number on the back of an envelope
b
: something at or on the back for support
back of a chair
c
: a place away from the front
sat in back
3
: a position in some games (such as football or soccer) behind the front line of players
also
: a player in this position
a defensive back
4
informal
: a swimming race in which swimmers use the backstroke
She placed first in the 100-meter back.
1
a
: to, toward, or at the rear
asked the crowd to move back
c
: to or at an angle off the vertical
leaned back on his chair
d(1)
: under restraint
He wanted to fight but his friends held him back.
holding back a laugh
(2)
: in or into a delayed condition
Bad weather set the launch date back several days.
The meeting was pushed back at the last minute.
Season 2's final episodes were held back for a few weeks … before finally airing.—
Nick Valdez
Nick Valdez
e
: in an inferior or secondary position
especially
: behind a competitor in points or ranking
finished three strokes back
2
a
: to, toward, or in a place from which a person or thing came
She left home and never went back.
put the book back
b
: to or toward a former state
went back to private life
c
: in return or reply
forgot to write back
1
a
: being at or in the back
back door
b
: distant from a central or main area
back roads
c
of a speech sound
: articulated at or toward the back of the oral passage : formed deep within the mouth
back vowels
2
: having returned or been returned
5
: not current
back issues of a magazine
6
golf
: constituting the final 9 holes of an 18-hole course
backed; backing; backs
1
a
: to support by material or moral assistance
backing a candidate for governor
—often used with upback up a friend in a fight
b
: substantiate
—often used with up
needs to back up her argument with evidence
c
: to assume financial responsibility for
back a new company
d
: to provide musical accompaniment for
—often used with up
a singer backed up by a guitarist
2
a
: to cause to go back (see back entry 2 sense 1a) or in reverse
back the car into the garage
b
: to articulate (a speech sound) with the tongue farther back : to form deeper within the mouth
3
a
: to furnish with a rear part : to furnish with a back (see back entry 1 sense 2)
back a skirt with stiff material
b
: to be at the rear part of : to be at the back (see back entry 1 sense 2) of
a row of garages back the building
1
: to move backward
backed into a parking space
—often used with upback up to give him some space
Let's back up a little to clarify what we're saying.
2
of the wind
: to shift counterclockwise compare veer entry 1 sense 2
3
: to have the rear part facing in the direction of something
The house backs onto a golf course.
Phrases
back of one's hand
or back of the hand
: a show of contempt
: the part of one's mind where thoughts and memories are stored to be drawn on
: without one's knowledge
talking about me behind my back
: behind
One day, I was sitting in the tiny parlor in back of the store …—John McNulty
John McNulty1
nautical
: to manage the sails of a ship so as to keep it clear of obstructions as it floats down with the current of a river or channel
2
: to take opposite positions alternately : shilly-shally
has been back and filling on the issue
: to get into inadvertently
backed into the antiques business
Examples of back in a Sentence
Noun
She was carrying her little daughter on her back.
She has a pain in the small of her back.
I slapped him on his back to congratulate him.
She stabbed him in the back.
He had his hands behind his back.
a bird with a dark back
riding on the back of a horse
a comfortable chair with a padded back
Adverb
The soldiers moved back from the front lines.
The police asked the crowd to move back from the scene of the accident.
He left his friends two miles back.
She turned around and looked back toward him.
a chapter beginning several pages back
He left his home and never went back.
It's time to go back home.
She took the book off the shelf and forgot to put it back.
In the opening chapter the author looks back on his youth.
an event back in the last century
Adjective
He keeps his wallet in his back pocket.
We came in through the back entrance.
We drove on the back roads instead of the main roads.
The company owes him several months in back pay.
Verb
I'm backing him for President.
She backed the winner of the race and won a lot of money.
She backed her argument with written evidence.
She backed the singer on the guitar.
She backed into a parking space.
She backed out of the garage.
The dog kept growling but backed off cautiously.
back a skirt with stiff material
Recent Examples on the Web
Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Benefits of Heat Therapy Heat therapy increases tissue temperature and blood flow to your back, relaxing muscles and improving pain.
—Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 25 Oct. 2025
Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The barf motions after Shannon would turn her back.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Their No 10s play close to Mateta and help to overload the defence — which is why Munoz and Mitchell can end up as the spare player at the back post — but rarely make incisive runs in the half-space to create cutbacks, in the move which Manchester City used so well to break down low blocks.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Banijay explained that the transaction will be fully backed by a certain funds financing package for a principal amount equal to approximately €3B, which includes the refinancing of Tipico Group’s existing debt, underwritten by some of Betclic’s main financing partners.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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.
Noun
Valverde’s jump sees Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz move centrally, and Raul Asencio pushes up from centre-back.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Benefits of Heat Therapy Heat therapy increases tissue temperature and blood flow to your back, relaxing muscles and improving pain.
—Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 25 Oct. 2025
Adverb
That piping was very popular back then.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The barf motions after Shannon would turn her back.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Morelli turned to the drug as a result of his growing addiction to OxyContin, which he had been prescribed following back surgery, wrote Joslin.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Their No 10s play close to Mateta and help to overload the defence — which is why Munoz and Mitchell can end up as the spare player at the back post — but rarely make incisive runs in the half-space to create cutbacks, in the move which Manchester City used so well to break down low blocks.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
But needed a vehicle, an organization that would back her cause and boost her message.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Banijay explained that the transaction will be fully backed by a certain funds financing package for a principal amount equal to approximately €3B, which includes the refinancing of Tipico Group’s existing debt, underwritten by some of Betclic’s main financing partners.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Cite this Entry
“Back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
back
1 of 4 noun1
a
: the rear part of the human body especially from the neck to the end of the spine
b
: the corresponding part of a four-footed or lower animal
2
: the part of something that is opposite or away from the front part
3
: something at or on the back for support
back of a chair
4
a
: a position in some games (as football or soccer) behind the front line of players
b
: a player in this position
back
2 of 4 adverb1
a
: to, toward, or at the rear
b
: in or into the past : ago
c
: in or into a reclining position
d
: under control : in check
held back
2
: to, toward, or in a place from which a person or thing came
3
: in return or reply
write back
talk back
back
3 of 4 adjective1
a
: being at or in the back
back door
b
: distant from a central or main area
back roads
2
: not yet paid : overdue
back rent
3
: no longer current
back issues of a magazine
back
4 of 4 verb1
: to give aid or support to
2
: to move or cause to move back or backward
3
: to shift in a counterclockwise direction
the wind backed around
4
: to provide with a back
backer
noun
Medical Definition
back
noun1
a
: the rear part of the human body especially from the neck to the end of the spine
b
: the corresponding part of a lower animal (as a quadruped)
c
2
: the part of the upper surface of the tongue behind the front and lying opposite the soft palate when the tongue is at rest
Geographical Definition
Back
geographical name
river 605 miles (974 kilometers) long in Nunavut, Canada, rising along the border with the Northwest Territories and flowing east-northeast into the Arctic Ocean
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