backstop

1 of 2

noun

back·​stop ˈbak-ˌstäp How to pronounce backstop (audio)
plural backstops
1
: something at the back serving as a stop: such as
a
: a screen or fence for keeping a ball from leaving the field of play
b
: a stop (such as a pawl) that prevents a backward movement (as of a wheel)
2
: a player (such as the catcher) positioned behind the batter
3
: something or someone that provides dependable support or protection against failure or loss
As the cold war heated up, Hoover became the country's backstop against subversion.David M. Oshinsky

backstop

2 of 2

verb

backstopped; backstopping; backstops

transitive verb

1
2
: to serve as a backstop to
3
: to play the position of goalkeeper for
backstop a hockey team

Examples of backstop in a Sentence

Noun The pitch got past the catcher and rolled all the way to the backstop. kept some gold as a backstop in case the value of the local currency collapsed Verb the Nobel-winning geneticist was of course backstopped in his research by a team of highly talented assistants
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Anvil pruners have a straight blade that closes against a backstop, or small anvil. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024 Elon Musk's super PAC is providing Republicans a critical funding backstop in key House districts, pouring millions of dollars into helping GOP candidates in races across the country. Andrew Solender, Axios, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
At the August trade deadline, the team’s president of baseball operations, A.J. Preller, loaded up on bullpen arms to backstop the starting rotation that was built for fall, but damaged or missing over the summer. Dan Freedman, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 The bad news is that in recent years, declining interest rates and recessions have often gone hand in hand as the Fed tries to backstop Wall Street and Main Street: Seven out of 11 periods of sustained rate cutting since 1980 have coincided with recessions, according to research by Hartford Funds. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for backstop 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of backstop was in 1819

Dictionary Entries Near backstop

Cite this Entry

“Backstop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backstop. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

backstop

noun
back·​stop
ˈbak-ˌstäp
1
: a screen or fence to keep a ball from leaving the field of play
2
: a baseball catcher
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!