on the back of

phrase

1
: because of or on the strength of (something)
Profits have increased on the back of improved international sales.
2
disapproving : by using the efforts of (other people)
The company has achieved record profits on the back of cheap labor.

Examples of on the back of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
International Business Machines — The tech giant’s shares jumped more than 3% on the back of a price target increase from Bank of America. Davis Giangiulio,darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 6 July 2026 The days of teams signing players on the back of a good performance at one World Cup are gone, but what about two? Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026 Bring to a vigorous simmer over medium-high, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sauce thickens slightly to leave a thin coating on the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 4 July 2026 Televisions on the back of each seat played a cable channel of the White House's choosing. Emily Chang, ABC News, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for on the back of

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“On the back of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20back%20of. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster