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
The company also noted a strong advertising revenue growth across its TV network businesses on the back of robust viewership share.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Apr. 2024
In 2019, he was immortalized in one of the city’s largest murals, on the back of Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts.
—Richard Wilson, Detroit Free Press, 21 Apr. 2024
Shepard, 49, has his hand placed on the back of Bell’s head as the horizon glows behind them in the sweet shot.
—Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
Lift your head and shoulders up, with fingertips lightly placed on the back of your head.
—Rozalynn S. Frazier, Health, 19 Apr. 2024
No related photos or videos emerged, no rumors about a six-foot-seven-inch celebrity on the back of a beautiful black Andalusian moseying around downtown.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
Other former residents traveled in on foot, some on bicycles, some on pickup trucks and some on the back of donkeys.
—Zeena Saifi, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
One of the side work activities that John and his team enjoy is stamping the coffee sleeves and hand-writing positive messages on the back of the sleeve.
—Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 4 Apr. 2024
Its top rival, Germany’s Adidas, must now halt the sale of some athletic wear after Germany’s football association, known as the DFB, failed to notice the number ‘4’ on the back of a player’s jersey looked suspiciously like one half of the infamous lettering of the SS, Hitler’s death squads.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Apr. 2024
In 2019, he was immortalized in one of the city’s largest murals, on the back of Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts.
—Richard Wilson, Detroit Free Press, 21 Apr. 2024
Shepard, 49, has his hand placed on the back of Bell’s head as the horizon glows behind them in the sweet shot.
—Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
Lift your head and shoulders up, with fingertips lightly placed on the back of your head.
—Rozalynn S. Frazier, Health, 19 Apr. 2024
No related photos or videos emerged, no rumors about a six-foot-seven-inch celebrity on the back of a beautiful black Andalusian moseying around downtown.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
Other former residents traveled in on foot, some on bicycles, some on pickup trucks and some on the back of donkeys.
—Zeena Saifi, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
One of the side work activities that John and his team enjoy is stamping the coffee sleeves and hand-writing positive messages on the back of the sleeve.
—Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 4 Apr. 2024
Its top rival, Germany’s Adidas, must now halt the sale of some athletic wear after Germany’s football association, known as the DFB, failed to notice the number ‘4’ on the back of a player’s jersey looked suspiciously like one half of the infamous lettering of the SS, Hitler’s death squads.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on the back of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near 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 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share