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
Well, that and Sam Bennett then fighting Andrei Svechnikov, who had purposely thumped Sergei Bobrovsky’s head back in Game 1. Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 25 May 2025 He was ordered to pay back $9,402,678 in restitution and serve 10 years on probation. Jennifer Sangalang, USA Today, 13 May 2025
Noun
His muscles shrunk after the ejections, and will calcify, leading to muscle knotting in his back. Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 24 May 2025 Díaz sprang from behind the plate, picked up the ball on the line with his back to first base, spun and threw out Murphy by a step. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2025
Verb
Jannik Sinner arrived at Roland Garros as one of the favorites at the French Open, with bettors overwhelmingly backing him and Carlos Alcaraz to claim the men’s title. Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 26 May 2025 Longtime collaborators and two-time Palme d’Or winners Ken Loach and Paul Laverty have shared a lengthy open letter backing Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk, the latest feature from Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi, which debuts this evening in Cannes. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 15 May 2025
Adjective
Remi Wolfe did a much better job with her set, delighting listeners with songs from her strong back catalog. Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 24 May 2025 One of the first Georgians to enroll in the program in 2023, Seaborn had written a letter thanking his insurance provider for covering a procedure for his back pain. Margaret Coker, ProPublica, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back
Adverb
  • Defense created easy offense and in the halfcourt, the ball skipped around.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
  • Some of that is related to how much safety Derwin James Jr. moves around.
    Daniel Popper, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • After much speculation as to whether the two leaders would engage in a face-to-face meeting—something Zelensky advocated for, on the condition that a cease-fire would be agreed to prior—the two did not meet.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 17 May 2025
  • Key members of the DevOps team unit, dedicated and qualified unit testing professionals will still advocate the need for an additional layer of testing.
    Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • She was aided on the DeLeon groundout by a spectacular play by Karlie Davison at second base, who laid out to field the ball and made a strong throw to beat the runner to first.
    Ethan Westerman, Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
  • Fire crews on the ground were being aided by aircraft.
    Kristina Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 25 May 2025
  • That reinforces the original (or last) experience the customer had with you.
    Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • Porto found traces of DNA from three people, including O'Keefe, on the outside of Read’s right rear taillight and on multiple pieces of O’Keefe’s clothing.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 17 May 2025
  • There are some slight design differences between them (the 16S has a rear thermal block that's missing on the V 16S), and the 16S tops out at an RTX 5070 Ti while the V 16S only goes up to an RTX 5070.
    Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 16 May 2025
Adverb
  • There’s a chance Moses’ play takes a meaningful step backward at age 34 and in a brand-new offense.
    Chad Graff, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • What emerged from this great leap backward was a diverse efflorescence of art that directly addressed the very things the church ignored.
    Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Trump recounted his political alliance with Kennedy, a former Democrat and the nephew of Democratic President John F. Kennedy, who dropped his longshot independent campaign for president and endorsed the GOP candidate.
    Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • During a news conference before the vote, Mayor Melvin Carter voiced his support for the new names, which were recommended by Minnesota’s Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and endorsed by the St. Paul Parks and Recreation Commission.
    Nick Woltman, Twin Cities, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • At first, caring for her mom meant reminding her to turn off the stove after cooking and assisting with the laundry.
    Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • Officials allege Sterling Williams, a maintenance worker, assisted the inmates in the escape, shutting off water to a toilet and sink inside a cell that were later ripped out by the inmates who then escaped through the hole in the wall, according to USA Today, BBC, and CBS News.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 21 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

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