back 1 of 4

1
as in ago
earlier than the present time that's longer back than I can remember

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2
3

back

2 of 4

noun

1
as in rear
a behind part or surface the back of the page was blank

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2
as in jugular
a vulnerable point a candidate needing a loyal aide who can be relied upon to always watch his back

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back

3 of 4

verb

1
2
3
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) the author needs to back her thesis with more facts

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back

4 of 4

adjective

as in hind
being at or in the part of something opposite the front part she carried all the presents in the back door, as the children were playing in the front yard

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word back different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of back are advocate, champion, support, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When can advocate be used instead of back?

While the synonyms advocate and back are close in meaning, advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

Where would champion be a reasonable alternative to back?

The words champion and back are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When might support be a better fit than back?

In some situations, the words support and back are roughly equivalent. However, support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

When is it sensible to use uphold instead of back?

The words uphold and back can be used in similar contexts, but uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of back
Adverb
After traveling to a near future for Dog 51, Lellouche’s next role takes him back to World War Two. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025 Plenty of timepiece brands increased their prices, too, in response to those initial tariff figures back in April, according to Hodinkee. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
In this example, Palace are building down the left, and Mateta is positioning himself between Villa’s centre-backs, Diego Carlos and Pau Torres, when Tyrick Mitchell plays the ball back to Marc Guehi. Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025 For a longer journey, Johnson is impartial to his Osprey Aether pack for its airscape back panels, floating lids, and signature Fit on the Fly adjustments. Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
Balderton has backed a number of notable European tech names including fintech firm Revolut and self-driving vehicle tech developer Wayve. Ryan Browne, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2025 Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries say they are united in refusing to back any spending measure that does not include key health care protections and commitments not to roll them back. Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The kick was a no-doubter, hitting the center of the back net behind the goalpost to give Dallas its first victory of the season and Schottenheimer his first victory as a head coach. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2025 After the alleged shooting, several other people entered the store through a back door and began stealing additional money, police told KYW. Mike Stunson, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back
Adverb
  • Green Bay opened at home with Detroit, which went 15-2 a year ago and won a second straight NFC North title.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Dockery first saw the film at a cast screening a few months ago.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • With five blades sandwiched between two moisturizing bars, this razor speeds up the entire process (no fussing around with shaving cream), nourishing dry skin and making nicks a rare occurrence.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • During one such strike last week, around two dozen Russian drones entered Poland -- by far the largest-ever of Russian drones into NATO airspace.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This vehicle hit the motorcyclist, who ended up in front of the Waymo, which came to an immediate stop after detecting the impact on its rear.
    Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • That battery endurance could tempt you into a spot of bikepacking, so Navee has included a sturdy cargo rack at the rear to host your gear.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • My bullet had penetrated the neck between the jugular and the bone, missing the spine by a fraction.
    Robert Easton, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Zachary Naegele, 24, was competing at the Conley Invitational in Palmetto, Florida, last week when the bull’s horn punctured his jugular, causing blood to stream out in a heart-pounding, caught-on-camera moment.
    Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Kirk emerged as one of the most pivotal figures in the conservative movement over recent years, co-founding the nonprofit Turning Point USA and becoming an ally to Trump after advocating to mobilize the youth vote for the GOP nominee.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Set two years after the little robot lady went on a murderous rampage and was subsequently destroyed, M3GAN’s creator Gemma (Williams) has become a high-profile author and advocate for government oversight of AI.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In addition to the other crimes, court documents note Denis allegedly aided in filing false joint tax returns in 2018, 2019 and 2020, resulting in claims of hundreds of thousands of fraudulent refunds each year.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The album’s sales gain was aided by the wide release of its standard 12-track CD to brick-and-mortar retailers.
    Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Instead of predictive policing that reinforces existing biases, envision AI that helps communities understand and address root causes of social problems.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • That’s not the case with the Margaret Dabbs London Nail Strengthening Treatment, which reinforces flimsy fingernails after just one swipe of its brush.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • The man then smiled and asked him a question that was so unexpected that the teenager involuntarily took several steps backward.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Annett threw a backwards pass to Dorsett Stecker who threw a 33-yard touchdown to James to give the Sea Kings a 28-21 lead.
    Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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