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
Vásquez threw his next pitch, a 94 mph sinker, even more up and in, catching Ohtani flush on the back of the right thigh.
—
Dennis Lin, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Soon, a boat arrived, and the people on board grabbed Cobbs’ son and put him on the back of the vessel.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 16 June 2025
Scale built its business on the back of a massive clickworker army, largely of workers based overseas who would teach AI models by providing context for masses of data.
—Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
The note handwritten in blue ink by Joe Sr. on the back of a high-school photo.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the back of
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.
Dennis Lin, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Soon, a boat arrived, and the people on board grabbed Cobbs’ son and put him on the back of the vessel.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 16 June 2025
Scale built its business on the back of a massive clickworker army, largely of workers based overseas who would teach AI models by providing context for masses of data.
—Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
The note handwritten in blue ink by Joe Sr. on the back of a high-school photo.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 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 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share