backcourt
noun
back·court
ˈbak-ˈkȯrt 
1
: the area near or nearest the back boundary lines or back wall of the playing area in a net or court game
2
a
: a basketball team's defensive half of the court
b
: the positions of the guards on a basketball team
also
: the guards themselves
a team with a strong backcourt
Examples of backcourt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Aziaha James is nearing a return from a right ankle injury, while fellow guard Christyn Williams has completed her hardship stint with the team, providing both relief and uncertainty for a backcourt hit hard by injuries.
—
Grant Afseth, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Reese identified free-agency needs across the roster — including a backup post and a fleet of shooting guards who can get downhill and shoot 3-pointers more efficiently than this year’s backcourt — but her main concern surrounds the point guard position.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Speculation included the prospect of including Washington in three-team constructs to land a guard like Jrue Holiday to bolster their backcourt.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Bringing in Westbrook would likely require the Kings to part ways with one of their guards to alleviate the logjam in the backcourt, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Monk has to go.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backcourt
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Grant Afseth, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Reese identified free-agency needs across the roster — including a backup post and a fleet of shooting guards who can get downhill and shoot 3-pointers more efficiently than this year’s backcourt — but her main concern surrounds the point guard position.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Speculation included the prospect of including Washington in three-team constructs to land a guard like Jrue Holiday to bolster their backcourt.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Bringing in Westbrook would likely require the Kings to part ways with one of their guards to alleviate the logjam in the backcourt, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Monk has to go.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backcourt
Cite this Entry
“Backcourt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backcourt. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backcourt
noun
back·court
-ˈkō(ə)rt
-ˈkȯ(ə)rt
1
: a basketball team's defensive half of the court
2
: the positions of the guards on a basketball team
also
: the guards themselves
a team with a strong backcourt
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share