1
2
as in soft spots
a vulnerable point
a candidate needing a loyal aide who can be relied upon to always watch his back
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in endorses
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 aids
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 reinforces
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea)
the author needs to back her thesis with more facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of backs
Liam Twomey, New York Times, 17 May 2026
The bright spots Saturday, at least in the early stages, was the play of the Evans defense, new quarterback Will Jackson and transfer running backs O’Ryan Hartfield, from Ocoee, and Davion Williams, from Poinciana.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2026
The Detroit Pistons seem to like playing with their backs against the wall.
—David Troy, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
But with their backs against the wall, the Bobcats (37-7-1) fought back and made the series a dogfight.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2026
During Bettan’s performance, a few Palestinian flags were waved and some in the audience turned their backs.
—Andrew Jones, NBC news, 16 May 2026
The Mets jumped to a 1-0 lead in the second on Vientos' fifth homer, but the D-backs evened the score in the bottom half when Nolan Arenado went deep.
—CBS News, 9 May 2026
The 54-year-old Merritt spent several years playing linebacker in the NFL before becoming one of the best defensive backs coaches in the league.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
Merritt is a defensive backs coach who’s been with the team since 2019.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
Idaho conservation group backs wilderness chainsaw use Not all conservation groups are against IOGA’s project.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 14 May 2026
The Canes have outright controlled the play in his minutes with a 72 percent xG rate, and the score sheet backs that up with an 11-2 goal differential.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 14 May 2026
Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey stood firm behind a 16-team College Football Playoff expansion Monday, indicating that a disagreement with the Big Ten — which backs doubling the current bracket to 24 teams — is lingering deep into the offseason.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
Private equity firm Roark Capital, which backs Inspire, is reportedly seeking a valuation of roughly $20 billion.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 8 May 2026
And Zoom wants to be the company that backs them.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Base plans run $55 to $65 per month, and the company backs its repairs with a 60-day workmanship guarantee.
—Sharon Wu, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Neither Republican candidate backs the idea — but not all of the Democratic candidates do, either.
—Anne Bryson, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
His three-man defence regularly featured two ball-playing centre-backs either side of a more physical one, but the team as a whole was asymmetrical.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 17 May 2026
The bright spots Saturday, at least in the early stages, was the play of the Evans defense, new quarterback Will Jackson and transfer running backs O’Ryan Hartfield, from Ocoee, and Davion Williams, from Poinciana.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2026
The Detroit Pistons seem to like playing with their backs against the wall.
—David Troy, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
But with their backs against the wall, the Bobcats (37-7-1) fought back and made the series a dogfight.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2026
During Bettan’s performance, a few Palestinian flags were waved and some in the audience turned their backs.
—Andrew Jones, NBC news, 16 May 2026
The Mets jumped to a 1-0 lead in the second on Vientos' fifth homer, but the D-backs evened the score in the bottom half when Nolan Arenado went deep.
—CBS News, 9 May 2026
The 54-year-old Merritt spent several years playing linebacker in the NFL before becoming one of the best defensive backs coaches in the league.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
Merritt is a defensive backs coach who’s been with the team since 2019.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
Verb
Text messages in court records show a brief and ambiguous exchange between McCluskie and Williamson that backs that up.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
Idaho conservation group backs wilderness chainsaw use Not all conservation groups are against IOGA’s project.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 14 May 2026
The Canes have outright controlled the play in his minutes with a 72 percent xG rate, and the score sheet backs that up with an 11-2 goal differential.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 14 May 2026
Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey stood firm behind a 16-team College Football Playoff expansion Monday, indicating that a disagreement with the Big Ten — which backs doubling the current bracket to 24 teams — is lingering deep into the offseason.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
Private equity firm Roark Capital, which backs Inspire, is reportedly seeking a valuation of roughly $20 billion.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 8 May 2026
And Zoom wants to be the company that backs them.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Base plans run $55 to $65 per month, and the company backs its repairs with a 60-day workmanship guarantee.
—Sharon Wu, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Neither Republican candidate backs the idea — but not all of the Democratic candidates do, either.
—Anne Bryson, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backs
Noun
-
When justice recedes, revenge rears its bloodstained head.—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
-
So, the most damaging scandal of Starmer’s premiership rears its head again at a profoundly unstable time for the government.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Their bond — both are outsiders who suffered abuse as children — is one of the few emotional soft spots in the otherwise fast-moving series about America’s rotten power structure, manipulative media and the gullibility of the public.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Watch for soft spots on floors, uneven or sloping flooring, cracks in walls and warped materials.—
Ryan Brennan
May 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The day before, Bulgaria got a new premier who has praised Orbán and endorses many of his positions.—
Slav Okov,
Bloomberg,
11 May 2026
-
In San Diego County Supervisor District 4 — which includes much of central San Diego, La Mesa and Spring Valley — the Union-Tribune Editorial Board endorses former La Mesa Councilmember Kristine Alessio.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Furthermore, the work aids nuclear forensics by establishing a mineral fingerprint to reconstruct the specific temperatures and pressures of past or unidentified nuclear events.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
-
The addition of spoken word passages by local Geordie poet Cooper Robson, who drifts through balladic descriptions of community, working-class masculinity, and pickled onions, aids Knats in their explorations of their hometown.—
Archie Forde,
Pitchfork,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The Fed under pressure The latest inflation reading reinforces expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged for a while — doing little to ease consumers' current affordability challenges.—
Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
-
This shift also reinforces pricing power at the top end of luxury.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
These gentle giants used the surface area of their long necks and tails to shed heat and regulate their body temperature.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
14 May 2026
-
In honor of Blomstedt’s return to the podium, the orchestra will be outfitted in formal white tie and tails.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Once Woll’s bratty vamp was through draining jugulars, the actress found a second signature role as Karen Page on Marvel’s Daredevil (2015–2018).—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Osechkin; Lithuanian activist Valdas Bartkevičius; and Ruslan Gabbasov, who advocates for independence for the Russian region of Bashkortostan.—
Emma Burrows,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
For over a decade Aerie has promoted the #Aerie Real campaign, which advocates for body positivity and celebrates real people with real skin, stretch marks and skin bumps.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backs. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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