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
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s more than just a saying on the back of the warm-up shirts for the Thousand Oaks girls basketball team.
—
Dan Rios, Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
If mortgage rates decline on the back of Fed cuts due to economic weakness, buyers may actually pause.
—John Walkup, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Intuitive Surgical — Shares of the surgical systems maker added about 2% on the back of strong quarterly financial results.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
Video later showed Lang with a gash on the back of his head.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
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Dan Rios, Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
If mortgage rates decline on the back of Fed cuts due to economic weakness, buyers may actually pause.
—John Walkup, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Intuitive Surgical — Shares of the surgical systems maker added about 2% on the back of strong quarterly financial results.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
Video later showed Lang with a gash on the back of his head.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on the back of
Cite this Entry
“On the back of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20back%20of. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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