BACK Synonyms: 183 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'back' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of back are advocate , champion , support , and uphold . While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling. // refusing to back the call for sanctions

Q: When can 'advocate' be used instead of 'back'?

While the synonyms advocate and back are close in meaning, advocate stresses urging or pleading. // advocated prison reform

Q: Where would 'champion' be a reasonable alternative to 'back'?

The words champion and back are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause. // championed the rights of children

Q: When might 'support' be a better fit than 'back'?

In some situations, the words support and back are roughly equivalent. However, support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given. // supports waterfront development

Q: When is it sensible to use 'uphold' instead of 'back'?

The words uphold and back can be used in similar contexts, but uphold implies extended support given to something attacked. // upheld the legitimacy of the military action

back 1 of 4

adverb

Definition of back next

as in ago

earlier than the present time that's longer back than I can remember

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hence

as in around

toward the opposite direction turned back for one last comment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in backwards

toward the rear concert security asked the crowd to move back

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back

2 of 4

noun

ˈbak

as in rear

a behind part or surface the back of the page was blank

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in jugular

a vulnerable point a candidate needing a loyal aide who can be relied upon to always watch his back

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back

3 of 4

verb

as in to advocate

to promote the interests or cause of she enthusiastically backed the plan to renovate and upgrade the school's facilities

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to aid

to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end a number of influential people have already agreed to back the candidate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to reinforce

to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) the author needs to back her thesis with more facts

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

back

4 of 4

adjective

as in hind

being at or in the part of something opposite the front part she carried all the presents in the back door, as the children were playing in the front yard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word back different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of back are advocate, champion, support, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When can advocate be used instead of back?

While the synonyms advocate and back are close in meaning, advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

Where would champion be a reasonable alternative to back?

The words champion and back are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When might support be a better fit than back?

In some situations, the words support and back are roughly equivalent. However, support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

When is it sensible to use uphold instead of back?

The words uphold and back can be used in similar contexts, but uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

Examples Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of back

Adverb

However, Orton has been off WWE television as of late ever since Kevin Owens delivered a piledriver to him back in November. —

Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025 Surpassing $3 trillion in market cap for the first time back in June, the chipmaker ended the year with gains of more than 171%. —

Sean Conlon, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2025

Noun

Many of the traditional Jeep details, such as a large, vertical front grille, a square back and trapezoidal wheel wells, are antithetical to the aerodynamic demands of an EV. —

Scotty Reiss, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024 For Good, the back half of the cinematic adaptation, will premiere Nov. 21, 2025. —

Sara Netzley, EW.com, 30 Dec. 2024

Verb

Reporters asked Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Tuesday to comment on the U.S. government’s assertion that hackers backed by the Chinese Communist Party illicitly accessed government documents. —

Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 31 Dec. 2024 The Kentucky Liberty Caucus and Raise Your Voice KY backed Holloway, whose campaign advocated for limiting government spending and regulations. —

Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 31 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Carter became a regular and would often sit at a back corner table in the main dining room, after walking the main bar and shaking hands with patrons. —

Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 30 Dec. 2024 The agent driving the car was new and unfamiliar with the back roads. —

Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for back

Recent Examples of Synonyms for back

Adverb

For midlife women, who may already be managing multiple chronic conditions or navigating metabolic changes tied to menopause, the buzz around GLP-1s may raise questions: Could these drugs help with overlapping health challenges?

Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 2 Jan. 2025
The police said around 90 people were inside the location for the event.

Bradford Betz, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2025