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back 1 of 4

adverb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

back

2 of 4

noun

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

back

3 of 4

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

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

back

4 of 4

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

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
In this telling, Tommy has been made a successful crime writer, who is having trouble with his next book; Tuppence is a struggling actress, back visiting from America. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 What officials misread back then was the source of that inflation. — Kelly Evans, CNBC, 16 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
The legislation was authored by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, D-Los Angeles, and backed by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026 In June, Open Standard launched Open USD, a stablecoin backed by more than 140 companies. — Dimitri Akhrin, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
All four key contributors in the back field from Miami’s run to a College Football Playoff National Championship Game appearance returned for the 2026 season. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026 Sullivan opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time on a creative back-heel flick that deflected in off the post. — ABC News, 13 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
  • Five years ago, many customer conversations centered on reporting.
    — Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • They had initially been arrested two months ago on misdemeanor animal cruelty charges.
    — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of ago
Adverb
  • Our current architecture estimates suggest that separating deterministic execution from runtime intelligence could reduce expected token consumption by around 90% compared with initial approaches.
    — Nitin Gupta, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The courthouse sustained around $35,000 in damage and had to be closed for several days, according to the plea agreement.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of around
Adverb
  • For a studio that built its modern reputation on superb player traversal, grounding Wolverine in static, empty zones feels like a massive step backward.
    — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
  • In the summer of 2025, he was lauded for pulling off the big-money signings of Wirtz, Isak, Frimpong, Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike, only for the team to go backwards, finishing fifth in the Premier League, leading to Slot’s dismissal.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of backward
Noun
  • When the sequence was complete, the roof had disappeared into the rear of the car, turning this enormous Cadillac into an open-top grand tourer.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Lam walked to the rear of his Miami rental home and threw his cellphone from the dock into Biscayne Bay in an attempt to destroy incriminating evidence, prosecutors say.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 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
  • This was aided by Villa being a more accomplished possessional side and Hull rarely pressing.
    — Aston Villa, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Seattle's Super Bowl win in February was aided by having a strong corps of wide receivers for quarterback Sam Darnold to throw to, led by Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of aid
Verb
  • The act of retrieving information can help reinforce learning.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Thanks to the support of Canadian agencies, these teams might very well achieve this goal, reinforcing the transatlantic collaborations between European and Canadian animation industries.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 16 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 17 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on back

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about back

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