1
as in to testify (to)
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in jam
a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement
there was the inevitable backup of travelers trying to pass through airport security
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in replacement
a person or thing that takes the place of another
you didn't get the lead position, but you can be the backup to the chosen singer
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in makeshift
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 (up)
Annie Palmer, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2026
By no fault of his own, Greg was the backup to my default.
—Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
With the trade of Zubac and injuries to the two backup centers, Collins was pegged as the post player on the second unit late in the season.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Noun
The notice said that if merchants' proceeds couldn't cover their advertising costs, Amazon would charge their existing payment method as a backup.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2026
By no fault of his own, Greg was the backup to my default.
—Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Co-buying a home with a friend, sibling, or family member is now a real option, not just a backup plan.
—Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
With the trade of Zubac and injuries to the two backup centers, Collins was pegged as the post player on the second unit late in the season.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back (up)
Verb
-
Some recipes also include pectin, a natural gelling agent that helps the jam set to a spreadable texture.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
There was no guarantee this collection of players would gel at all, let alone at the exact right time.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Each cookie also has a delightful dollop of lemon jam in the center.—
Staff Author,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Apr. 2026
-
This set comes with six 16-ounce jars perfect for storing homemade sauces, salsa, jam, and more.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With Kayla McBride turning 34 in June, Fudd would act as her future replacement long term and an instant deep-threat contributor right away.—
Matthew Coller,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Klassen, 24, was a last-minute rotation replacement when Ryan Johnson got sick.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The songs, by Randy Newman, are simple but charming little ditties, particularly the ensemble numbers where this makeshift band of misfits express their devotion to one another.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The dome became a makeshift stage in the middle of the field.—
Niyaz Pirani,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If Pantheon’s math bears out, the increase in gas prices would account for more than two-thirds of the firm’s projected 1% monthly increase in the overall CPI.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
-
This is an organization that was born out of the rubble of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and which caused the deaths of twenty thousand people.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As most of the scientific books tell us, coagulating protein at lower temperatures produces more tender clumps; adding a little water or cream makes an omelet tenderer still.—
Jeffrey Steingarten,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Two dented blue bottles of Cuajo Titanium, a liquid coagulating enzyme used to curdle milk, remained on a wooden table, caked in mud.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Resident teachers, or teachers in training, will be the substitutes.—
Lacey Beasley,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Those patterns suggest that, at least so far, AI has acted as a productivity-enhancing tool that boosts employment and wages rather than a simple substitute for labor.—
Christos Makridis,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy terror group in Lebanon, continued overnight and this morning.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
This is, in a sense, a proxy war, but one in which America is the proxy.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Back (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20%28up%29. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
