back-to-back
1 of 2adjective or adverb
1
: facing in opposite directions and often touching
2
: coming one after the other : consecutive
plural back-to-backs
1
British
: a house that is connected in a row with other houses on each side and with a similar row of houses behind it
These were where the millworkers dwelt, the worst of them known as back-to-backs because that is how they were built, without intervening space.—
Geoffrey Moorhouse
Geoffrey Moorhouse2
sports
: a sequence of two games scheduled to be played on consecutive days
Miami began to beat elite teams and was bloodlessly efficient in the second half of back-to-backs, winning 11 in a row over a three-month stretch, a sign of a team with toughness.—Jack McCallum
Jack McCallumExamples of back-to-back in a Sentence
Adjective or adverb
the three movies in the series were filmed back-to-back so that the cast members wouldn't age visibly on screen
the new governor was soon facing several back-to-back crises
Recent Examples on the Web
Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
The bruising Ejiofor recorded at least three blocks in nine games in the regular season, including back-to-back eight-block performances in wins over Ole Miss and Iona in December.
—Peter Sblendorio, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
First, our Florida Panthers were crowned back-to-back Stanley Cup champions.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
Their performance is one thing: The pair notched three dramatic, back-to-back wins in the round-robin tournament to reach the semifinals, marking the first time the U.S. has qualified for a medal round in wheelchair curling since the 2010 Paralympics.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back-to-back
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Adjective or adverb
The Illinois Democrat had already knocked out back-to-back fundraisers in New York that September 2019 weekend, but Krishnamoorthi was determined to make a third event in northern Virginia, a former campaign staffer recalled in a recent interview.
—Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
The bruising Ejiofor recorded at least three blocks in nine games in the regular season, including back-to-back eight-block performances in wins over Ole Miss and Iona in December.
—Peter Sblendorio, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
First, our Florida Panthers were crowned back-to-back Stanley Cup champions.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
Their performance is one thing: The pair notched three dramatic, back-to-back wins in the round-robin tournament to reach the semifinals, marking the first time the U.S. has qualified for a medal round in wheelchair curling since the 2010 Paralympics.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back-to-back
Cite this Entry
“Back-to-back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back-to-back. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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