1
as in to testify (to)
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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)
Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Officials at the time said the backup of passengers presented a security threat, with so many people crowded into one place for a long period.
—Kelly Yamanouchi, AJC.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Kimbo also tacks on a 20-lb propane tank bay on the passenger side and a rear storage cubby sized to hold a gas generator for backup power.
—New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Noun
North Richland Hills fire crews are on scene to deal with the hazmat situation and police are working to divert traffic to clear the backup, police said in a social media post.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Officials at the time said the backup of passengers presented a security threat, with so many people crowded into one place for a long period.
—Kelly Yamanouchi, AJC.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
But if Artemis 2 is unable to launch on time, NASA does have some backup launch dates available.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Kimbo also tacks on a 20-lb propane tank bay on the passenger side and a rear storage cubby sized to hold a gas generator for backup power.
—New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back (up)
Verb
-
His unfailing commitment to civilian authority gave time for government institutions to sink roots, and established norms that gelled into the professional ethos of our military today.—
Kori Schake,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
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There have been instances in which two of the three have played together, such as Monday with Bader and Lee, but that trio won’t have many opportunities to gel and mesh before Opening Night against the New York Yankees on March 25.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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After facing the minimum through three innings, Alcantara ran into his only real jam of the game in the fourth.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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The song using her TikTok sound has over 13,000 videos of people re-creating the dance, including those twins who love Crumbl cookies, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and someone who loves to pop and lock and jam and break.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Built by L3Harris, it’s funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory and potential replacement technology for GPS.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
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The project also includes improvements to five intersections and replacement of the Morrison Creek Bridge.—
Madison Smalstig,
Sacbee.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One of the largest displays featured bloodied bundles of white cloth spread across the grass like a makeshift graveyard.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
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To preserve stealth and the element of surprise, the operators might create a staging ground several miles from their objective, which might include building a makeshift landing strip.—
Sheena Samu,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But many of the benefits from property taxes identified by the Tax Foundation (less distortionary and a more stable source of revenue) aren’t borne out in the real world, especially in California.—
Jon Coupal,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
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Gamage argued the warnings of mass exodus following Massachusetts’ 2022 millionaires’ tax and Washington’s 2021 capital gains tax hadn’t been borne out.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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A lot of the ambivalent parent discourse tends to coagulate around white cis-het mothers of a certain milieu.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
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Do not use warm or hot water since this can actually cause the blood to coagulate.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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If your goal is long-term success, there is really no substitute for doing the necessary hard work.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
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Station reserves the right to substitute prize of comparable value.—
CBS LA Staff,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The group launched rockets and drones from southern Lebanon, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes and escalating the conflict into a broader regional confrontation tied directly to Tehran, Iran, and its proxy network.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
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Whether Iranian forces would assault Red Sea shipping themselves remains unclear, but in recent years the Houthis, Tehran's proxy militia based in Yemen, have vastly reduced traffic through the waterway with attacks on vessels there.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Back (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20%28up%29. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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