back (up) 1 of 3

verb

Definition of back (up)next
1
as in to testify (to)

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2
as in to gel

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backup

2 of 3

noun

ˈbak-ˌəp How to pronounce backup (audio)
1
as in jam
a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement there was the inevitable backup of travelers trying to pass through airport security

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2
as in replacement
a person or thing that takes the place of another you didn't get the lead position, but you can be the backup to the chosen singer

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backup

3 of 3

adjective

as in makeshift

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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 (up)
Noun
Can the Cowboys take advantage of the hurting Eagles, or will Philadelphia rally behind their backups and get the victory? — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 In the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett came into the game and threw for 47 yards on just three of four attempts. — Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Already, larger batteries are paired with solar and wind projects, and homeowners are using smaller batteries to store excess energy from rooftop solar and for backup power. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 In July 2022, Sguros was just a backup officer on a welfare check of Dennis West, 71, at his home in Lauderhill, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said. — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back (up)
  1. gel
  2. jam
  3. replacement
  4. makeshift
  5. coagulate
  6. substitute
  7. proxy
  8. harden
Verb
  • Gash’s weakest moments come in times like these, when the band strips back its sound into solitary parts that fail to gel.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Nowhere has that been more evident than in Mbappe and Vinicius Jr’s failure to gel together.
    — Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of gel
Noun
  • And for options that can please any giftee on your list, check out gourmet food calendars filled with decadent chocolates, loose-leaf teas, jams and jellies, and more.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Released digitally in March, the song grew out of a guitar jam between the two friends.
    — Russ Penuell, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of jam
Noun
  • The university admissions replacement system still has to be designed, and legal changes may be needed — leaving crucial decisions unresolved even as the government seeks to persuade students to end their protests.
    — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Unsupported systems need replacement plans or documented interim controls.
    — Aliasgar Dohadwala, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of replacement
Adjective
  • George describes residents taking in people who had lost their homes, workers restoring the water supply and the McAllister Hotel serving as a makeshift hospital.
    — Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
  • This all plays out with a lot of frequent jarring tonal mismatches, and some bafflingly overwrought dramatic beats, especially around Vision’s makeshift self-repair.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of makeshift
Verb
  • These high-acidity juices can cause whey protein powder to coagulate and curdle.
    — Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Reciprocal male-on-male mounting among corpse-eating burying beetles increases with heat stress, and chronic heat stress coagulates the blood of Holstein Friesian cattle.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of coagulate
Noun
  • At times, Zukenee’s chameleonic range and ironic language can feel like a shrewd substitute for vulnerability.
    — Narsimha Gour Chintaluri, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • America can point to tankers still transiting Hormuz, but shipping that depends on costly military protection and remains under threat is a poor substitute for normal trade.
    — Ali Vaez, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of substitute
Adjective
  • The companies are already financially entangled, including a $2 billion investment by Tesla in SpaceX, Tesla’s Monday proxy statement confirmed.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) lowered its forecast of global oil demand growth for this year, amid persistent risks to shipping from Iran and its proxy groups.
    — Max Rego, The Hill, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of proxy
Verb
  • The building materials are fire-resistant, as are the windows, and the eaves are fire-hardened as well.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The process, called cured-in-place pipe lining, involves inserting a flexible liner into the old pipe, inflating it and hardening it in place.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of harden

Browse Nearby Words

backtracks
back (up)
backup
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Cite this Entry

“Back (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20%28up%29. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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