1
as in to testify (to)
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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
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of back (up)
David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Additional access to the port of Berbera, located in Somaliland, provides redundancy (backup) and a relationally different partner.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Do not skip the backup codes This part matters more than people realize.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Noun
Ryan O’Leary, an American former fighter who led the Chosen Company volunteer unit in Ukraine, told me Ukrainian drone units need backups such as mesh radio networks, also known as MANET systems.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Additional access to the port of Berbera, located in Somaliland, provides redundancy (backup) and a relationally different partner.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
Adjective
Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks’ defensive anchor and backup center helping fuel New York’s 11-game playoff winning streak, has suffered a broken right pinky finger and has no timetable for a return, a league source told The Daily News on Thursday.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Do not skip the backup codes This part matters more than people realize.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back (up)
Verb
-
Guardiola had to gel together a new, young team, featuring many players who were not immediately suited to playing his style of football.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
-
The casting of the actors playing the younger versions of the real people is so spot-on that the fiction scenes gel seamlessly with the interviews, while the film is peppered with fragments of educational documentaries about AIDS from the era.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
The senior escaped several jams to toss a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts to lead JSerra past La Mirada 3-2 for its first section title.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
Pizza is already savory, so balance out all that salt with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or spoonfuls of fig jam.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Neto’s replacement, Nick Madrigal, left in the top of the ninth inning after Andrew Wantz’s pitch ricocheted from Madrigal’s hand to his face.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
-
Passengers boarded a replacement flight with a new crew, which took off early Sunday morning and landed in Palma in the afternoon.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Demonstrators have been attempting to block people and vehicles from entering and exiting, linking their arms in a human chain and using trash cans, umbrellas and other items as makeshift shields and barricades.—
Philip Marcelo,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Turn a folding table into a makeshift dining table.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
If the latest polls bear out, Hilton is well-positioned to advance.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
30 May 2026
-
So he’s born out of all of that stuff.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 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
-
As Tottenham’s Italian head coach turned towards the crowd and let out a roar of sheer jubilation, substitute goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario jumped on his back.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
Long-term reliance on substitutes is not a sustainable solution and raises important questions about instructional quality and compliance.—
Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
There are fears that the situation could escalate and drag the volatile Tigray region into a proxy war, even as relief agencies warn of a dire humanitarian situation on the ground.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
-
Instead, existing exchange rules and proxy advisory firms dampen their voice, their governance rights, and ultimately their financial interests.—
James H. Lee,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Back (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20%28up%29. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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