back (up) 1 of 3

verb

Definition of back (up)next
1
as in to testify (to)

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to gel

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

backup

2 of 3

noun

ˈbak-ˌəp How to pronounce backup (audio)
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

backup

3 of 3

adjective

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)
Noun
The landline also served as a backup in case our cell phones weren’t working or out of reach. — Larry Magid, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 Stuart Skinner probably didn’t sign in Winnipeg with the thought of becoming Hellebuyck’s backup, but the Jets still haven’t finalized a trade. — Murat Ates, New York Times, 9 July 2026
Adjective
On average, Google says this new data should increase your backup size by 40 MB. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 Otherwise, the moves were mostly low-key (a new backup goaltender, a bottom-six wing) rather than an overreaction to another premature playoff exit. — Scott Turick, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back (up)
  1. bear out
  2. gel
  3. jam
  4. replacement
  5. makeshift
  6. coagulate
  7. substitute
  8. proxy
Verb
  • Piero Davi was one of thousands of children born out of wedlock that the Vatican repackaged as orphans.
    — Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 12 July 2026
  • The film instead concludes with Niki’s banal statement on poverty pushing people to extremes — which isn’t entirely borne out by the reality of the story.
    — Elena Lazic, Variety, 11 July 2026
Definition of bear out
Verb
  • Here, her natural hair was styled in a sleek, avant-garde aesthetic that gelled her front layer in a sharp wave over her forehead.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 July 2026
  • Its remaining five songs seem to appear at random, never gelling into a cohesive force or threading a narrative.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026
Definition of gel
Noun
  • Plain deviled eggs are served with a side of pickled vegetables, bacon jam and black pepper.
    — Justin Brown, AJC.com, 12 July 2026
  • Scott notes that while the flesh of the Hawthorn berry is fully edible and commonly used to make jams and jellies, consuming large quantities of whole berries can be harmful as the seeds contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
Definition of jam
Noun
  • Margarita Betancourt, the district’s treasurer, is set to be appointed as Steiger’s replacement on an interim basis.
    — Austin Horn July 15, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
  • That approach could ease the transition to the new interceptor without requiring a complete replacement of supporting equipment.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
Definition of replacement
Adjective
  • Eileen Tyrrell, a 27-year-old bookseller, pulled the cushions off her couch to arrange makeshift seating in her Brooklyn apartment.
    — Grey Battle, Washington Post, 16 July 2026
  • In the clip, Honey is seen sitting on Jenner’s lap on a boat together and jumping into a makeshift pool on the beach as Jenner watches her.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of makeshift
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
  • If an egg cracks during boiling, vinegar can help the egg white coagulate faster, preventing it from leaking into the water.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Definition of coagulate
Noun
  • The organizations getting beyond experimentation are redesigning their workflows around collaboration between AI and humans, rather than viewing one as a substitute for the other.
    — Tony Bates, Fortune, 16 July 2026
  • In response, Paramount argued that the Paramount and WBD cable lineups are complementary — and not market substitutes — and that cable providers will still want access to all of the channels.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 16 July 2026
Definition of substitute
Adjective
  • These situations often involve activist campaigns, proxy contests, and hostile takeovers, where each move can shape the future of an entire company.
    — Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 15 July 2026
  • But the contest over the first-in-the-nation primaries has also become a proxy war over the future of the Party.
    — Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
Definition of proxy

Browse Nearby Words

backtracks
back (up)
backup
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Back (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20%28up%29. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All