on the back of
phrase
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 fatal hit-and-run occurred less than two hours after a 13-year-old boy was killed riding on the back of a moped in Queens after his friend slammed into an open car door and then careened into a moving truck.
—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2026
Anyway, this phrase survived my query letter, made it into my agent’s submission letter to editors, and ended up in my editor’s copy on the back of the book.
—
Sarah Schulman,
Literary Hub,
29 June 2026
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Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2026
Anyway, this phrase survived my query letter, made it into my agent’s submission letter to editors, and ended up in my editor’s copy on the back of the book.
—
Sarah Schulman,
Literary Hub,
29 June 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 5 Jul. 2026.
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