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
In a video shared in June that takes place in Washington state, a federal agent in a police vest is seen driving a black Ford SUV with no license plate on the back of the vehicle.
—
Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
Pamela Anderson hopped on the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle while fulfilling her life-long dream of performing live at the club.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Harley-Davidson — Shares of the motorcycle maker fell 2% on the back of a downgrade at Morgan Stanley to underweight from equal weight.
—Michelle Fox, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
The bruising on the back of his hand was caused by frequent handshaking and aspirin, the White House previously said.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the back of
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Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
Pamela Anderson hopped on the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle while fulfilling her life-long dream of performing live at the club.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Harley-Davidson — Shares of the motorcycle maker fell 2% on the back of a downgrade at Morgan Stanley to underweight from equal weight.
—Michelle Fox, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
The bruising on the back of his hand was caused by frequent handshaking and aspirin, the White House previously said.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
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 3 Nov. 2025.
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