on the back of

idiom

1
: because of or on the strength of (something)
Profits have increased on the back of improved international sales.
2
disapproving : by using the efforts of (other people)
The company has achieved record profits on the back of cheap labor.

Examples of on the back of in a Sentence

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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.
The Bills enter Monday's matchup against the Falcons on the back of a crushing loss against the Patriots in Week 5. Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 Poladi said the story goes that Wright was upset that Topps printed a mention of his daughter on the back of his card that year and would only sign cards made by Fleer, a major competitor. Mark Billingsley, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025 Shake Shack — The burger chain added 4% on the back of Jefferies’ upgrade to hold from underperform. Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025 Markets tumbled on the back of the president’s tariff threat, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq each clocking their worst days since April. Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for on the back of

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Cite this Entry

“On the back of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20back%20of. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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