1
as in to testify (to)
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Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in makeshift
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of back (up)
David Troy Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2026
De la Fuente called up Liverpool’s latest signing, Victor Munoz, to provide reliable backup in the position, but the former Osasuna man also suffered a setback with his calf injury during the first weeks of the World Cup.
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Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
Even more so if that player is more impactful than Walker or Sheppard since those two currently project to be the Pacers backup shooting guard and small forward.
—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Noun
Still, the backups for Argentina are probably better than the best players for Jordan.
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David Troy Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2026
De la Fuente called up Liverpool’s latest signing, Victor Munoz, to provide reliable backup in the position, but the former Osasuna man also suffered a setback with his calf injury during the first weeks of the World Cup.
—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
Adjective
That, however, does not include salary for goaltender Arkin Schmid, who Florida acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night to be their backup netminder.
—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
Even more so if that player is more impactful than Walker or Sheppard since those two currently project to be the Pacers backup shooting guard and small forward.
—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back (up)
Verb
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For many years, there was the presumption that content and pipeline/distribution companies should never come together, a lesson well borne out by history.
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Their fears are borne out by statistics.
Verb
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Any apprehensions about whether a first-time collaboration between Hartford’s two largest self-producing theaters — Hartford Stage and TheaterWorks Hartford — could gel smoothly enough to grasp all the nuances of this challenging work are dispelled immediately by the opening number.
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Right wing had long been a problem position, with No 10s such as Xavi Simons often being forced wide to plug a hole, or orthodox wingers failing to gel with the uber-attacking full-back Denzel Dumfries.
Noun
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Crawford also doubled to lead off the sixth, but Chandler worked his way out of that jam, striking out both Turner and Kyle Schwarber, then retiring Harper on a soft grounder to second.
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Others may step in when a package jams, a label fails to scan or a pallet needs human attention.
Noun
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The city said replacement parts have been ordered and officials hope to reopen the pool before the end of July.
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Wallingford also testified that inspections are not a replacement for reporting infant deaths.
Adjective
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The parking lot of a pharmacy turned into a makeshift shelter with tarps, hammocks and tents.
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People turned the parking lot of a pharmacy into makeshift shelter by setting up tarps, hammocks and tents.
Verb
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Raw milk is treated with heat, acid, or enzymes to coagulate it into two distinct substances: curds, which become cheese, and whey, which was, at least until recently, the cheesemaking process’s unlovely by-product.
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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.
Noun
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Koulibaly misjudged a clearance and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was unable to keep out substitute Marcus Pedersen’s rasping shot to give Norway the lead close to halftime.
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Goldman Sachs recently highlighted this complexity by describing AI as both a complement and a substitute for labor depending upon the nature of the work involved.
Adjective
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In its proxy statement, for example, Fox cited revenue growth at its popular streaming service Tubi and high ratings for Fox News and Fox Sports.
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Many critics worry that Iran will quickly seek to rebuild its shattered military, replenish its drone and missile programs and revive the threat of its proxy network that includes Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen.
Cite this Entry
“Back (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20%28up%29. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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