1
: a large log at the back of a hearth fire
2
: an accumulation of tasks unperformed or materials not processed
a backlog of court cases
Examples of backlog in a Sentence
Noun
We have a huge backlog of orders to be filled.
Recent Examples on the Web
Marnie Hunter, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
School facilities funding Over the coming year, state coffers will send out $1.5 billion and redirect $500 million to school districts around Idaho to help with a backlog of repairs on school buildings that has dogged the state’s public schools system for years.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 11 Apr. 2024
Investment income from the fund − up to $80 million a year by the mayor's estimate − is intended to be used to address a backlog of infrastructure repairs.
—Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
In neighboring San Jose, the maintenance backlog for the city’s parks alone is more than $544 million, city spokesperson Carolina Camarena estimated.
—Grace Hase, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
As part of a three-year, $3.3 million contract, Archipelago Strategies Group, a Boston marketing firm, is working its way through a backlog of 45,000 requests to move up the waitlist.
—Todd Wallack, ProPublica, 7 Mar. 2024
However, a backlog forced NASA to simply toss the batteries inside a cargo pallet using the space station’s robotic arm, which led to the uncontrolled reentry.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024
Miami’s court has the largest backlog of them all, with over 291,000 cases.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
Korean Air had almost 160 aircraft as of Dec. 31, according to its most recent financial filing, and around 100 on backlog.
—Danny Lee, Fortune Asia, 21 Mar. 2024
Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024
Related:Infractions backlog likely to push Louisville basketball's case into a sixth year NCAA's Complex Case Unit's allegations against Louisville men's basketball: 1.
—Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2022
The 2023 tax season is already looking stressful, with the IRS' returns backlog growing and the agency warning Americans that their refunds might come later than usual.
—Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2022
During 2021, Energy Resources added 7.2 GW of new wind, solar and energy storage projects to backlog, which has grown at a 20 percent compound annual rate since 2017.
—Roger Conrad, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2022
Outside of that May backlog, Alabama’s case count hasn’t been this high since March - though cases are still well below the highs seen here in December and January.
—al, 13 Aug. 2021
Noun
In addition to the most recent production slowdowns precipitated by issues with Boeing aircraft, supply chain slowdowns have contributed to a backlog of orders.
—Marnie Hunter, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
School facilities funding Over the coming year, state coffers will send out $1.5 billion and redirect $500 million to school districts around Idaho to help with a backlog of repairs on school buildings that has dogged the state’s public schools system for years.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 11 Apr. 2024
Investment income from the fund − up to $80 million a year by the mayor's estimate − is intended to be used to address a backlog of infrastructure repairs.
—Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
In neighboring San Jose, the maintenance backlog for the city’s parks alone is more than $544 million, city spokesperson Carolina Camarena estimated.
—Grace Hase, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
As part of a three-year, $3.3 million contract, Archipelago Strategies Group, a Boston marketing firm, is working its way through a backlog of 45,000 requests to move up the waitlist.
—Todd Wallack, ProPublica, 7 Mar. 2024
However, a backlog forced NASA to simply toss the batteries inside a cargo pallet using the space station’s robotic arm, which led to the uncontrolled reentry.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024
Miami’s court has the largest backlog of them all, with over 291,000 cases.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
Korean Air had almost 160 aircraft as of Dec. 31, according to its most recent financial filing, and around 100 on backlog.
—Danny Lee, Fortune Asia, 21 Mar. 2024
Verb
For the 2024 tax season, Collins urged the IRS to make clearing up its identity theft backlog a higher priority.
—Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024
Related:Infractions backlog likely to push Louisville basketball's case into a sixth year NCAA's Complex Case Unit's allegations against Louisville men's basketball: 1.
—Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2022
The 2023 tax season is already looking stressful, with the IRS' returns backlog growing and the agency warning Americans that their refunds might come later than usual.
—Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2022
During 2021, Energy Resources added 7.2 GW of new wind, solar and energy storage projects to backlog, which has grown at a 20 percent compound annual rate since 2017.
—Roger Conrad, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2022
Outside of that May backlog, Alabama’s case count hasn’t been this high since March - though cases are still well below the highs seen here in December and January.
—al, 13 Aug. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backlog.' 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
“Backlog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backlog. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
backlog
noun
back·log
-ˌlȯg,
-ˌläg
1
: a large log at the back of a fire in a fireplace
2
: an accumulation of tasks that have not been finished
More from Merriam-Webster on backlog
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for backlog
Nglish: Translation of backlog for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of backlog for Arabic Speakers
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