1
2
3
as in backward
toward the rear
concert security asked the crowd to move back
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in jugular
a vulnerable point
a candidate needing a loyal aide who can be relied upon to always watch his back
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of back
Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
When coming to a flooded road, turn around and head back.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025
Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
The back-to-school season was strong for athletic footwear, Circana found.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
Ray Dalio, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
In its polling, Quinnipiac found a greater divide between the two candidates, with 51 percent support for Sherrill and 43 percent for Ciattarelli, finding that those who prioritized taxes backed the Republican while those who prioritized health care and ethics in government backed the Democrat.
—Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Nov. 2025
Conceived by Sophie Delafontaine, Longchamp’s creative director, the back garden includes wrought-iron furniture, hydrangeas, boxwood shrubs, and a traditional frog game enjoyed by the family.
—Denni Hu, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back
Adverb
The graft is secured with sutures and the incision in the elbow is stitched back together.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
When coming to a flooded road, turn around and head back.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
Achane led all backs in carries (18) and rushing yards (67) while Gordon came in second in both categories.
—Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
The back-to-school season was strong for athletic footwear, Circana found.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
Fiat currencies, on the other hand, are not linked to or backed by anything, so they aren't limited in supply.
—Ray Dalio, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
In its polling, Quinnipiac found a greater divide between the two candidates, with 51 percent support for Sherrill and 43 percent for Ciattarelli, finding that those who prioritized taxes backed the Republican while those who prioritized health care and ethics in government backed the Democrat.
—Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
His body was behind some bushes near the back patio of an apartment, police said.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Nov. 2025
Conceived by Sophie Delafontaine, Longchamp’s creative director, the back garden includes wrought-iron furniture, hydrangeas, boxwood shrubs, and a traditional frog game enjoyed by the family.
—Denni Hu, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back
Adverb
-
The fixture list wasn’t kind to them to begin the season, as was the case two years ago.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
McGovern, who has a background producing reality TV shows like Bar Rescue, began creating parenting content online a few years ago.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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That geography does wonders for people who want to watch birds—around 20 million migrate through New York in the fall.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Video shows one agent restraining the man, then dragging him around as another agent helps pin him to the ground.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
The moment played out on Season 3 of The Traitors, when Sandoval and the other contestants braved a creepy cabin full of singing dolls and had to memorize and perform backwards nursery rhymes.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
People who focus on looking backward instead of the path ahead have been known to trip themselves up.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Jordan love kind of rears back, throws it across the field, and Mike Jack had the presence of mind to stay with his guy on that one, and could have come up with a big interception.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Nov. 2025
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After the opening of the second front in the Ottoman rear, Spain’s European forces swoop in from the west, crushing the Sultan’s might in a global Habsburg death hug.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The actress manages to pull this off with subtlety and grace in a movie that could have easily gone straight for the emotional jugular.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
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Two months before Twilight kicked off the glittery vampire craze, Alan Ball’s True Blood had already put an original, sexy spin on the jugular-draining genre.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Instead of gathering experts who advocate for their functional perspective and then compromise, AI enables teams where each member can think holistically across functions.—
François Candelon,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
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The veteran coach believes the solution to the problem is to cut some games off the 82-game schedule, a view shared by Cleveland Cavaliers coach (and former Kerr assistant) Kenny Atkinson, who recently advocated for a 72-game season.—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The new album’s first-week sales were aided by its availability across five vinyl variants (including one signed), two CD iterations (one of them signed), alongside a standard digital download album.—
Keith Caulfield,
Billboard,
2 Nov. 2025
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He was put on another inhibitor, this time a MEK inhibitor, to aid in tumor shrinkage.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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China’s most powerful Communist leader in decades has built a reputation reinforced by state media during his 12-year rule as a serious and steady hand.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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Completing each task gives your brain a small reward, reinforcing calm and focus when the kitchen gets hectic.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Cite this Entry
“Back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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