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
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as in makeshift
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of back (up)
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026
Over the first weekend of May, park officials and visitors reported entrance station backups of up to 90 minutes with parking inside Yosemite Valley filling up before noon.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 May 2026
Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Trent Rush, who had worked mostly on Angels radio, will take over as the backup television play-by-play man, working the games when Wayne Randazzo is not available.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Noun
The Fyy organizer is slim enough to slip into any carry-on but manages to corral everything, including cords, backup batteries, and adapters into eight tidy pockets.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026
Over the first weekend of May, park officials and visitors reported entrance station backups of up to 90 minutes with parking inside Yosemite Valley filling up before noon.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 May 2026
Adjective
In reality, Janine may have needed a backup plan to her backup plan.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Trent Rush, who had worked mostly on Angels radio, will take over as the backup television play-by-play man, working the games when Wayne Randazzo is not available.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back (up)
Verb
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Families pile in with kids decked out in their Sunday best — bows in their hair, fluffy dresses, cowlicks gelled down.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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The goal, according to Western analysts, was to listen in on or potentially jam signals relayed through these satellites, some of which route secure communications for US and NATO military forces.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
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Wilson fanned the last batter to get out of the jam and finish with at least one strikeout in every inning.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The Warriors, according to Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor, began looking into current Florida coach Todd Golden, a Saint Mary’s alum and former USF coach, as a potential replacement if the 60-year-old Kerr did not return.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
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Canned tuna isn’t a replacement for the fresh kind but instead is its own big player.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Dinah had gone silent under the makeshift tent.—
Stephen King,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
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About noon Larry gunned the Maule — heavily loaded with moose meat — to a heart-stopping takeoff from the makeshift strip.—
Ben East,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Public health experts have pushed back on these claims about nicotine, arguing that any potential benefits haven’t been borne out in studies, and nicotine is known to be addictive and increase the risk of heart issues.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
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The Cowboys and Eagles are expected to compete for the NFC East title, while the Bills and Chiefs will continue a rivalry born out of multiple memorable regular-season and playoff meetings that pitted quarterbacks Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes against one another.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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There was a league debut as a substitute at Brest in late September and, in January 2025, a first start at the age of 17.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Acrylic — widely used as a wool substitute in sweaters and blankets, and one of the worst shedders of microfibers.—
Ryan Brennan
May 11,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Such systems as the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 series, classified as one-way attack (OWA) UAVs, have been exported extensively to proxy groups and state allies.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
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It was widely seen as a major geopolitical breakthrough that reduced the risk of direct and proxy conflict, said Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, a researcher at the Center of Economic and Law Studies in Indonesia.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Back (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20%28up%29. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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