backed (up)

verb

past tense of back (up)
1
as in testified (to)

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2
as in hardened

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for backed (up)
  1. hardened
  2. coagulated
  3. set
  4. congealed
Verb
  • After surviving a ferocious first half to trail only 13-12, the All Blacks' resolve hardened by new coach Dave Rennie and age-old ability to produce something from nothing turned a tense contest into a rout by five tries to South Africa's one.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Institutional indifference and erasure Fast forward to today, and that defensive posture has hardened into absolute institutional erasure.
    — Kimmie Gordon, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of hardened
Verb
  • For many of the protesters, a general sense of lawlessness – not supported by official crime figures for England and Wales, which broadly show a decrease over the past decade – had coagulated into a specific fear of migrants.
    — Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025
Definition of coagulated
Verb
  • Brink appreciates the example the former league MVP sets for her peers.
    — John W. Davis, Oc Register, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The sweeping story is set from the early 1950s in Turkey, through to the disco era in Paris.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of set
Verb
  • Nu Jazz are a New York supergroup that’s congealed out of a handful of overlapping scenes.
    — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026
  • What began as a flurry of rumors about his next destination has now congealed into a protracted waiting game, one that has NBA teams, fans and even the league office looking at their proverbial watches.
    — Joe Vardon, New York Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of congealed
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.

Browse Nearby Words

backed out
backed (up)
backed (up or away)
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Cite this Entry

“Backed (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backed%20%28up%29. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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