back (up) 1 of 3

verb

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

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2
as in to gel

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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

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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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backup

3 of 3

adjective

as in makeshift

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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
Following stops with the Giants and Chargers as a backup, Smith received another starting opportunity after the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Broncos in 2022. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026 Most of Fresno's offensive stats came from the last drive of the game against the SC backups. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Add Connor Ingram or Cam Talbot and Winnipeg can target a higher-quality forward instead of worrying about a backup goalie. — Murat Ates, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 When DseWiki’s moderators began deleting the pages in June, one agent posted a workaround to a backup page for the others to find, according to the researchers. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back (up)
  1. gel
  2. jam
  3. replacement
  4. makeshift
  5. coagulate
  6. substitute
  7. proxy
  8. harden
Verb
  • Head coach Jimbo Fisher recruited well enough to offset those personnel losses, but no one knew how all these new players would gel, particularly redshirt freshman signal caller Jameis Winston.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Carrick using Mbeumo as a centre-forward is not new — but the way United’s forward line is gelling around him is.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of gel
Noun
  • Return to the oven and bake until the crumbles are golden brown and the jam has bubbled a bit at the edges, 30 to 40 minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • And if the party gets a little too wild, and someone knocks the jams into the drink, don't worry.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of jam
Noun
  • Seattle's success led the Las Vegas Raiders to hire Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as its head coach, and the team tapped Brian Fleury as his play-calling replacement.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
  • While the airline and ground control argued over replacements, a group of eight highly experienced traveling grooms, including Vard, slipped into emergency mode.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of replacement
Adjective
  • As fishermen wrestled their catches out of flimsy fiberglass boats near a makeshift shoreside market recently, several stopped to talk with CNN, complaining that the war is ruining business.
    — Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Unlike the makeshift sand berms built by the city, his house is protected by a natural mound fortified with resilient pickleweed.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 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 two substitutes put those taking their place on the bench in the shade by scoring three goals between them.
    — Simon Johnson, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The first question sees technology as a substitute, while the second sees it as an amplifier.
    — Tal Dagan, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of substitute
Adjective
  • Note that figures reported in proxy statements are grant-date values, which are calculated when a board approves an award, not take-home pay.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The order specifically named ISS and rival Glass Lewis, which the White House said together control more than 90% of the proxy-advisory market.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of proxy
Verb
  • Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is facing a tight contest for a Senate seat, also hardened his stance against data centers recently.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The rare trip by CIA chief John Ratcliffe failed to persuade Putin to stop the war and may have hardened the Russian’s leaders resolve to seek military victory.
    — Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of harden

Browse Nearby Words

backtracks
back (up)
backup
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Cite this Entry

“Back (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20%28up%29. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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