1
as in jams
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
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2
as in replacements
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backups
With a consistent, steady offense, the Panthers found the end zone every possession until backups took over in the fourth quarter, giving Gates his 50th career victory.
—
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2025
The longer the shutdown lasts, the greater the risk of cargo backups at these Texas ports due to unpaid employees calling in sick.
—The Npr Network, NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
Several backups made an impact, particularly against the run.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Internal backups Those who value secure storage want extra layers of protection for all their important data.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2025
The Hurricanes subbed in a slew of backups on both sides of the ball after that.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
The proposal would assign a DOJ team from another district to examine device backups and cloud data obtained from an attorney, segregating any privileged content.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Security is covered with daily backups, malware scans, DDoS protection, and a free Wildcard SSL certificate to protect your site and subdomains.
—PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
Kleber’s absence means the Lakers will start the regular season with Jaxson Hayes and two-way center Christian Koloko as the backups behind starting center Deandre Ayton.
—Khobi Price, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2025
The longer the shutdown lasts, the greater the risk of cargo backups at these Texas ports due to unpaid employees calling in sick.
—The Npr Network, NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
Several backups made an impact, particularly against the run.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Internal backups Those who value secure storage want extra layers of protection for all their important data.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2025
The Hurricanes subbed in a slew of backups on both sides of the ball after that.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
The proposal would assign a DOJ team from another district to examine device backups and cloud data obtained from an attorney, segregating any privileged content.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Security is covered with daily backups, malware scans, DDoS protection, and a free Wildcard SSL certificate to protect your site and subdomains.
—PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
Kleber’s absence means the Lakers will start the regular season with Jaxson Hayes and two-way center Christian Koloko as the backups behind starting center Deandre Ayton.
—Khobi Price, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backups
Noun
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Examples include The Dutch Kettle of Hamptonville, which makes fruit jams, jellies and barbecue sauce.—
Chase Jordan
November 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The berries, which birds also love, can be eaten fresh or made into jams and jellies.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But the replacements are still made of complex materials that include additives like colorants; the chemicals can react in ways the companies may not intend or understand, Boucher says.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The Nittany Lions considered possible replacements from the Big Ten early in the search.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, production bottlenecks, labor shortages, tighter government spending, and the lack of Western technology are increasingly causing strains in the economy, Prokopenko said.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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The model, called Project Eluna, is built to help operators anticipate supply chain bottlenecks by pulling in historical and real-time data to recommend actions, ideally cutting down time needed to analyze dashboards so users can spend more time coaching their teams.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Then, of course, there’s the problem of inequality; more substitutes surely benefits the richer clubs.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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While Russians understand that such substitutes are not the genuine articles, many have seen efforts to recreate sporting and cultural events as a patriotic effort to rekindle Russia's Soviet-era, which Russian President Vladimir Putin frequently references with nostalgia.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backups. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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