back 1 of 4

1
as in ago
earlier than the present time that's longer back than I can remember

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2
3

back

2 of 4

noun

1
as in rear
a behind part or surface the back of the page was blank

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2
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

1
2
3
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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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

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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

Example 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
But those steps have now put them on a collision course with the governor and the powerful real-estate industry closely aligned with his administration, which has pushed back at every turn. Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025 These findings feed back into system improvements, creating an ongoing safety enhancement cycle. Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Noun
The iPhone has pretty much looked the same since 2017 — a rectangular piece of glass with a touchscreen on the front, and a few cameras on the back. Kif Leswing, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2025 The energy commission’s report on power costs was even thinner gruel, mostly patting itself on the back for adopting standards for appliances and other power-using devices that reduced their demands. Dan Walters, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
Federal legislation backed by Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski called for improving data collection and information sharing among law enforcement and tribes. Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 29 Aug. 2025 Among those backing the decision is etiquette expert Jo Hayes. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
This dress has a seven-button front, double chest patch pockets, and a seamed back yoke. Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025 Nvidia strongly denies including any such back doors in its products, and Huang has reiterated that Nvidia’s chips do not pose a threat to Chinese national security. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back
Adverb
  • Tennessee currently has around 60,000 active personalized plates and has rejected nearly 1,000 since the program began in 1998.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2025
  • The shelter-in-place order was lifted around 6 p.m. after law enforcement found no credible threat.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • But if a man calls you honey bunch and gives you a pat on the rear?
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Authorities said Robin Westman used a rifle, a pistol and a handgun – all legally and recently purchased – to fire through the windows of the church from the outside of the building, then died by suicide at the rear of the church.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Zachary Naegele, 24, was competing at the Conley Invitational in Palmetto, Florida, last week when the bull’s horn punctured his jugular, causing blood to stream out in a heart-pounding, caught-on-camera moment.
    Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2025
  • Gone are the days of Ami Cusack cutting down men without hesitation or Natalie Bolton flossing her teeth with Jason Siska’s jugular.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Among those who rejected the offer are the families of Tate Myre, an honors student, mentor to struggling kids and star athlete who died in the shooting; and of 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, a shy basketball and volleyball player, whose family has long advocated for the school’s accountability.
    Tresa Baldas, Freep.com, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Volunteers advocate for children who have been removed from their home from either abuse, abandonment or neglect.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Its 83 ingredients go beyond fruits and vegetables to include functional adaptogens like ashwagandha, reishi, and rhodiola (intended to aid stress and vitality), plus prebiotics and probiotics for gut health and vitamins to support daily energy.
    Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Aug. 2025
  • What has made Isak so important for Newcastle is his movement in the final third, aiding the origin of attacks.
    Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • These forms of intimacy between a couple reinforce one another; sharing their emotions with one another will enhance physical closeness in turn, and vice versa.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Economists hit the nail on the head with the latest U.S. inflation report, reinforcing expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut in September.
    Fred Imbert, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • Dubas isn’t interested in the Penguins squeaking into a postseason spot only to fall backward the next season.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
  • Start with yourself and work backward, carefully documenting each generation.
    Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Sarah Jessica Parker has always had a soft spot for shoes.
    Michel Mejía, Glamour, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Now that the cat's out of the bag — and the film is wrapping up its third weekend in theaters — the truth has officially been revealed: Hauser appears as subterranean antihero Mole Man, an antagonist of the titular heroes with a soft spot for Vanessa Kirby's Sue Storm.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 10 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

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