back·yard
ˈbak-ˈyärd 
1
: an area at the rear of a house
2
: a nearby area : neighborhood
crimes committed in our own backyard
: located or occurring in a backyard
a backyard barbecue
Synonyms
Examples of backyard in a Sentence
Noun
We spent the evening relaxing in the backyard.
shocked to learn that the wind farm would be right in our own backyard
Adjective
an orchid that is a favorite with backyard horticulturists
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 19 Apr. 2024
Where to watch: Prime Video 'Night Swim' Thinking about putting in a pool in the backyard?
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Meet the 'Grippers.' Setup a beehive in your backyard
There's lot of benefits to keeping bees, from sweet honey, to beeswax that's all yours to mind.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Apr. 2024
Feeling Boxed In: President Biden’s effort to build U.S. security alliances in China’s backyard will likely reinforce the Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s view that Washington is leading a containment campaign of his country.
—Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Pop a few in the cooler and invite some friends to the pool—we’re planning to enjoy a taste of the tropics in our own backyard this summer.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2024
The president later posed for photos with children, some wearing school uniforms, in the backyard.
—Chris Megerian, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024
On April 9, about 60 third-year students gathered in the dean’s backyard for a pre-graduation dinner.
—Tal Fortgang, National Review, 16 Apr. 2024
Answer: The accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a practical solution, a backyard home that can be built in place.
—Pat Kapowich, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2024
He’s designed and constructed about 250 of them, ranging from backyard follies to a monumental work in response to the 2011 tsunami to a jungle perch with views of Angkor Wat in Cambodia (created for a commercial for the Japanese lottery).
—Tom Vanderbilt Josh Robenstone, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2023
Learn how to improve the health and productivity of backyard citrus trees.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2023
In November, the CDC recommended that people who interact with birds that look sick – even in backyard flocks – should wear disposable gloves, boots, eye protection and an N95 respirator or a face mask.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 10 Mar. 2023
This is not some squabble over the backyard fence or even long-simmering animosities.
—Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2023
Paint a pallet a summery color, then mount it to a sturdy surface, such as the wall of a garden shed or a backyard fence.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022
At home, most Santa Marians slice the meat into thick steaks to cook on a backyard-style Santa Maria grill (santamariagrills.com).
—Sunset Magazine, 1 July 2022
He was attracted to the backyard view of the buttress, which looks more like a lush hillside than a strategy to keep landslides at bay.
—Hannah Frystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2022
Noun
Roy Disney suggested that Taft officials check out Coney Island in their own backyard.
—Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 19 Apr. 2024
Where to watch: Prime Video 'Night Swim' Thinking about putting in a pool in the backyard?
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Meet the 'Grippers.' Setup a beehive in your backyard
There's lot of benefits to keeping bees, from sweet honey, to beeswax that's all yours to mind.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Apr. 2024
Feeling Boxed In: President Biden’s effort to build U.S. security alliances in China’s backyard will likely reinforce the Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s view that Washington is leading a containment campaign of his country.
—Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Pop a few in the cooler and invite some friends to the pool—we’re planning to enjoy a taste of the tropics in our own backyard this summer.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2024
The president later posed for photos with children, some wearing school uniforms, in the backyard.
—Chris Megerian, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024
On April 9, about 60 third-year students gathered in the dean’s backyard for a pre-graduation dinner.
—Tal Fortgang, National Review, 16 Apr. 2024
Answer: The accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a practical solution, a backyard home that can be built in place.
—Pat Kapowich, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Adjective
So, how did these once-elusive forest dwellers become backyard birds in only a few decades?
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2024
He’s designed and constructed about 250 of them, ranging from backyard follies to a monumental work in response to the 2011 tsunami to a jungle perch with views of Angkor Wat in Cambodia (created for a commercial for the Japanese lottery).
—Tom Vanderbilt Josh Robenstone, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2023
Learn how to improve the health and productivity of backyard citrus trees.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2023
In November, the CDC recommended that people who interact with birds that look sick – even in backyard flocks – should wear disposable gloves, boots, eye protection and an N95 respirator or a face mask.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 10 Mar. 2023
This is not some squabble over the backyard fence or even long-simmering animosities.
—Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2023
Paint a pallet a summery color, then mount it to a sturdy surface, such as the wall of a garden shed or a backyard fence.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022
At home, most Santa Marians slice the meat into thick steaks to cook on a backyard-style Santa Maria grill (santamariagrills.com).
—Sunset Magazine, 1 July 2022
He was attracted to the backyard view of the buttress, which looks more like a lush hillside than a strategy to keep landslides at bay.
—Hannah Frystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backyard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Backyard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backyard. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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