back 1 of 5

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

back

2 of 5

noun (1)

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
2
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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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
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

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
This was a month for big festivals, with two weekends of Coachella and one of Stagecoach all back to back out in Indio, Calif., and of just-as-big tour kickoffs, with both our Greatest Pop Star of 2024 and our Greatest Pop Star of the entire 21st Century launching their most recent treks. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 1 May 2025 Furniture and decorations interspersed throughout the space — doilies, laminated wood cabinets and plastic chairs — evoke the sensation of traveling back in time. Valeriya Safronova, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Noun
Approaching the final whistle, however, Ferran Torres equalized thanks to an inch-perfect Lamine Yamal ball over the top of the Madrid back line. Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 The back story on Toxic Freedom The business was birthed out of a love for family and living well. Tina Harbuck, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
Half of the team had a view of a golf course that backed onto their hotel. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 2 May 2025 The organization plans to back GLP-1s like Wegovy and Zepbound to treat obesity in adults as part of a shift in addressing the global obesity epidemic, as reported by Reuters. Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
Adjective
Sports bras that are too restrictive could overwork back muscles and limit breathing. Julia Ries, Health, 1 May 2025 There's even a back flap for holding you climbing helmet. Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back
Adverb
  • The impact of Canadians turning to homegrown goods could add around 10 billion Canadian dollars to the country’s economy and hike its GDP by around 0.3 percentage points, according to research from Robert Kavcic, director of economics at BMO Capital Markets.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 4 May 2025
  • The unidentified Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputy was fatally struck around 1 p.m. near the university, which was hosting a graduation ceremony.
    Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 3 May 2025
Verb
  • Their visit comes after four House Democrats traveled to El Salvador earlier this week to advocate for the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was wrongly deported to the Central American country.
    Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Kerry Morrison, founder of a nonprofit that advocates for change in the mental health system and has sat for years on the oversight committee for the city’s Proposition HHH homeless housing fund, finds all the new groups hard to follow.
    Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Nearly every element of the federal student aid system, from grants to aid disbursement to repayment plans and loan forgiveness programs, would be impacted if the plan is enacted.
    Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • This event united golfers, sponsors, donors, vendors and volunteers to aid families facing financial and emotional hardships caring for a critically ill child — some of which include homelessness, hunger and depression.
    Sharon Hlapcich, Oc Register, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Roll a 6-foot-long piece of hog wire or concrete reinforcing wire into a 2-foot-diameter tomato cage.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2025
  • It was reinforced in 2022 by the California Air Resources Board, and copied by 11 other states: New York, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware and Maryland.
    Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • The battery chemistry is the same as lesser Blazers, but the SS makes good use of new silicon carbide inverters in the rear drive unit that minimize energy losses and segmented magnets in the motors that reduce heat buildup.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 22 Apr. 2025
  • This immersive audio system brings Dolby Atmos and wireless rear channels into your living room at a fantastic discount.
    Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • Its initial genesis is not totally clear—but one prominent theory suggests that bits of endometrium (the inside lining of the uterus) shed during menstruation can flow backward through the fallopian tubes and leak into the pelvis.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Step by step, New Kids on the Block are taking their fans 35 years backward in time.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Moments after their meeting, Trump endorsed Republican Representatives Derrick Van Orden, Juan Ciscomani, Scott Perry and Gabe Evans for Congress.
    Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Swift had endorsed Trump’s Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, in the 2024 election.
    Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That came after a two-goal and one assist performance in Game 2, and a two-assist night in Game 1.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The Trump administration first designated the Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization in 2021, but the designation was revoked by Democratic President Joe Biden, largely to assist with Yemen's humanitarian crisis, often described as one of the worst in the world.
    Neda Ulaby, NPR, 26 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

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