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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Data storage stock Sandisk popped 17% on the back of strong guidance. Pia Singh, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026 Think of it like writing your bank PIN on the back of your debit card. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Kahlo may have become a global icon on the back of her remarkable biography, but if the work was mediocre, interest in her would have had a ceiling. Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 But fortunately, StudioCanal bought it on the back of the trailer. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026 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 1 Feb. 2026.

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