backlog

noun

Definition of backlognext
as in inventory
a large number of jobs or items that are waiting to be finished or processed We have a huge backlog of orders yet to be filled.

Related Words

Relevance

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 backlog Caterpillar spent the better part of the last year as one of the best stories in industrials, nearly doubling on the back of a data center power boom that turned its backlog into a record. — Tony Zhang, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 And, perhaps more importantly, where can completely new coastal and offshore launch sites be constructed to ease the backlog of both commercial and government missions for launch service providers? — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 There are no staffing meetings, no waiting for someone to become available and no work sitting idle because the right person is on vacation or buried under a backlog of deliverables. — Charles Lew, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 And there is a backlog of companies seeking to list there, said Lorraine Tan at investment research firm Morningstar. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for backlog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backlog
  1. inventory
  2. supply
  3. collection
  4. pile
  5. accumulation
  6. hoard
  7. cache
  8. stockpile
Noun
  • Modern air defenses require large inventories of interceptors, along with the manufacturing capacity needed to replenish them.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The National Museum alone lost almost two-thirds of its inventory, comprising nearly 100,000 artifacts that covered Sudan’s prehistoric age through its Nubian era, the Kingdom of Kush, the Christian era and its Islamic period.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of inventory
Noun
  • The company says these materials are abundant and non-toxic, potentially avoiding some of the cost, safety, and supply challenges associated with conventional battery chemistries.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2026
  • And while all forms of fossil fuels this year have been affected by the blockade of the Strait of the Hormuz, diesel differs somewhat from crude and unleaded gas because of the central role Russian refineries play in the global supply.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of supply
Noun
  • These damn streets, they aren’t made for walking or living or trash collection or traffic or bicycles or romantic walks or rollerblading or traffic jogs.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Outside linebackers Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux, as well as inside linebacker Arvell Reese, are as athletic as any collection of rushers in the league.
    — Jeff Howe, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of collection
Noun
  • In body camera footage from the rescue, officers can be seen cutting the bolt on the back door of the trailer, revealing the two children and Brown sitting among piles of blankets.
    — Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Suckers for a touch of whimsy, the company’s window dressers once garnished a display inspired by the Garde Républicaine, a famous French cavalry division, with a pile of horse manure.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of pile
Noun
  • Thanks to an unruly accumulation of furniture, however, the apartment initially felt cramped.
    — Sophia Herring, Architectural Digest, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Plaque accumulation within artery walls—a process called atherosclerosis—is what increases your risk for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues.
    — Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of accumulation
Noun
  • The Arab coins, known as dirhams, are cut up and have similar inscriptions to those found in silver hoards from the 9th century, Nordjyske Museer said.
    — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Additionally, the hoard contained both Arab and Anglo-Saxon coins, indicating the Vikings’ involvement in broader economic exchange between Europe and Southwest Asia during this period.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hoard
Noun
  • Security forces also recovered a cache of weapons during the operations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Switzerland imagines Highsmith as a recluse in the Alps, closely guarding a cache of weapons and secrets after a lifetime spent writing mysteries.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cache
Noun
  • But ramping up missile production won’t immediately replenish the stockpile.
    — Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • To keep the stockpile functional, technical teams must extract, purify, machine, and recycle this material without interruption.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of stockpile

Browse Nearby Words

backlashes
backlog
backlogs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backlog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backlog. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of empirical

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All