back 1 of 5

adverb

Definition of backnext
1
as in ago
earlier than the present time that's longer back than I can remember

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Relevance

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2
as in around
toward the opposite direction turned back for one last comment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in backward
toward the rear concert security asked the crowd to move back

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

back

2 of 5

noun (1)

ˈbak How to pronounce back (audio)
1
as in rear
a behind part or surface the back of the page was blank

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2
as in jugular
a vulnerable point a candidate needing a loyal aide who can be relied upon to always watch his back

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back

3 of 5

verb

1
as in to advocate
to promote the interests or cause of she enthusiastically backed the plan to renovate and upgrade the school's facilities

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2
as in to aid
to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end a number of influential people have already agreed to back the candidate

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) the author needs to back her thesis with more facts

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

back

4 of 5

adjective

as in hind
being at or in the part of something opposite the front part she carried all the presents in the back door, as the children were playing in the front yard

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

backer

5 of 5

noun (2)

1
as in supporter
a person who actively supports or favors a cause backers of prison reform held a rally in front of the statehouse

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sponsor
a person who takes the responsibility for some other person or thing all financial backers will be expected to offer some input into the company's decisions

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3
as in ally
someone associated with another to give assistance or moral support the student's backers spoke at the school board meeting on her behalf

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word back different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of back are advocate, champion, support, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When can advocate be used instead of back?

While the synonyms advocate and back are close in meaning, advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

Where would champion be a reasonable alternative to back?

The words champion and back are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When might support be a better fit than back?

In some situations, the words support and back are roughly equivalent. However, support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

When is it sensible to use uphold instead of back?

The words uphold and back can be used in similar contexts, but uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

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
Adverb
After passing on a quarterback in April’s draft, the Jets are hoping Smith is good enough to guide the team back to respectability. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026 But as far back as 2018, when federal prosecutors say the once-legitimate Carleen began fraudulent operations, students were alerting state officials to serious problems with the school, and Florida took no action to shut it down. — Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
These back-to-school heroes are crafted out of jersey, and many have kanga pockets at the front (a further allusion to the generation-defining closet staple). — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026 Prosecutors said the first victim needed specialty surgery to remove the knife from his back, and Grunhaus was also hospitalized with serious injuries. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
That changed in 2024 with the county’s first sheriff election in decades — a contest where Levine Cava, a Democrat, backed the candidate who lost to Cordero-Stutz, a Republican and a former senior administrator at the Miami-Dade Police Department. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026 El Sayed has been skeptical of AI throughout his Senate campaign against GOP candidate Mike Rogers, calling for government ownership of the technology and backing a sweeping tax on AI companies’ stock. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 9 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Crafted from the finest, lightest tweed, the dress—chosen by stylist Ramona Tabita—features a sumptuous knotted structure that opens into a generous back neckline and culminates in a majestic train that skims the red carpet. — Giacomo Aricò, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2026 About 10 flies used the back kitchen area oven as a landing strip. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
On the Canadian side, backers include Telefilm Canada, Canadian Heritage, Creative BC, the Canadian Media Producers Association, the Canada Media Fund, the Indigenous Screen Office and APTN, with Blue Ant International attached as distributor. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026 The campaign has passed $143,000 from more than 1,000 backers — more than 28 times its $5,000 goal. — New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back
  1. ago
  2. around
  3. backward
  4. rear
  5. jugular
  6. advocate
  7. aid
  8. reinforce
Adverb
  • After all, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) made this call for its The Hundred competition two years ago and raised more than £500million for the county and grassroots game.
    — Matt Slater, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Production of the first submarine in this class began several years ago.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of ago
Adverb
  • The Braves are a closer match to the Phillies, and this matchup has evoked October, a month that’s been too much trick and not enough treat around here.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Monroe may be the most fun course around to play, with an inviting layout, phenomenal greens (many elevated) and excellent course conditions.
    — Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of around
Adverb
  • By sending light through the fiber and measuring how that light changes, engineers can work backward to determine what happened to the fiber.
    — Pawel Maniewski, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Marazzi and co-screenwriter Valia Santella ground their non-linear narrative by using the date of July 14, 1937 as a jumping-off point to move backwards and forwards in time through the recollections and point of view of the title character.
    — Alissa Simon, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of backward
Noun
  • The 39-year-old, who has been arrested multiple times in Burbank and Glendale, was taken into custody on suspicion of violating terms of his probation from a previous arrest linked to sniffing women’s rears.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Christian reportedly denied consuming drugs or alcohol and had trouble maintaining balance when he was asked to walk to the rear of his car.
    — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of rear
Noun
  • Even Rodrigo, the almost too-good student who should make a mess someday, went total sprite, toying with everyone’s jugular.
    — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
  • And then Alvarez went for the jugular with a grand slam to deep center field.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Definition of jugular
Verb
  • Drivers appear to largely be on board, and fans have responded as well, even though many advocated for eliminating the end-of-season spotlight entirely in favor of a Premier League-style yearlong title race.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • However, a contingent of pro-autonomous vehicle backers, many from a group of 29 organizations that advocated on behalf of Waymo to the CPUC, celebrated the expansion ruling.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of advocate
Verb
  • That has also helped the firm navigate its huge investment plans at a time when many projects in the kingdom are scaling back spending — aided by a $3 billion partnership with Blackstone to fund its data center deals.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Childcare assistance, funded by the federal government with help from states, is supposed to aid working parents who are low-income, homeless or caring for foster children.
    — Moriah Balingit, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of aid
Verb
  • Leeds, their defence reinforced by the arrival of Tarik Muharemovic, look like a tough nut to crack.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Unlike ceramides, which reinforce the moisture barrier, or hyaluronic acid, which mainly hydrates at the surface, urea can moisturize and, at higher strengths, exfoliate dead skin cells.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of reinforce

Phrases Containing back

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baches
back
backache
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Cite this Entry

“Back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on back

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about back

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