backboard
noun
back·board
ˈbak-ˌbȯrd 
1
: a board placed at or serving as the back of something
especially
: a rounded or rectangular board behind the basket on a basketball court which serves to keep missed shots from going out-of-bounds and from which the ball can be made to rebound into the basket
2
: a stiff board on which an injured person and especially one with neck or spinal injuries is placed and immobilized in order to prevent further injury during transport
Examples of backboard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In a January game against the Detroit Pistons, Towns injured his right thumb, seemingly jamming it into the backboard during a first-quarter dunk attempt.
—
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 10 May 2025
Early in the fourth quarter, White missed a 3-pointer off the top of the backboard, allowing the Magic to speed forward with the ball.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
The house's backyard has a beige and black basketball court with a smart backboard, a furnished deck with a smart TV, a full outdoor kitchen and an upper deck off a spiral staircase.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Cunningham took the tough shot over the outstretched arm of Adebayo, as the ball bounced off the backboard and rattling in for the game-winning three-pointer with 2.9 seconds to play to deliver another painful loss to the Heat.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backboard
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C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 10 May 2025
Early in the fourth quarter, White missed a 3-pointer off the top of the backboard, allowing the Magic to speed forward with the ball.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
The house's backyard has a beige and black basketball court with a smart backboard, a furnished deck with a smart TV, a full outdoor kitchen and an upper deck off a spiral staircase.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Cunningham took the tough shot over the outstretched arm of Adebayo, as the ball bounced off the backboard and rattling in for the game-winning three-pointer with 2.9 seconds to play to deliver another painful loss to the Heat.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backboard
Cite this Entry
“Backboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backboard. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backboard
noun
back·board
ˈbak-ˌbōrd
-ˌbȯrd
: a board placed at the back or serving as a back
especially
: a rounded or rectangular board behind the basket on a basketball court
Medical Definition
backboard
noun
back·board
-ˌbȯrd
: a stiff board on which an injured person and especially one with neck or spinal injuries is placed and immobilized in order to prevent further injury during transport
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