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
Saturday’s performance figures to have helped his case to earn the third spot on the depth chart behind two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and veteran backup Tyler Huntley. — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026 Collins was a backup in 2019, and transferred to Rice for his final season, in 2020, where he was named All-Conference USA honorable mention. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Freshman Jayden Ford is expected to take over primary kickoff return duties, with backup returner Maguire Anderson adding explosive potential after a 97-yard punt return touchdown in FIU’s most recent bowl game. — Alejandro Hernandez, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 The system uses redundant power supplies and backup equipment to maintain safety. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 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
  • Carrick using Mbeumo as a centre-forward is not new — but the way United’s forward line is gelling around him is.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Both have had time to gel as a squad, and both have managers who know how to get over the line.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Definition of gel
Noun
  • Feta and goat cheese make fine substitutions if blue cheese isn’t your jam.
    — Emily Paster, Midwest Living, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Jeff Hoffman allowed two runners in the eighth but escaped the jam, in part, due to Clemens making a diving stop on a hard grounder by Harris.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of jam
Noun
  • California energy regulators have approved new restrictions on replacement tires that vehicle owners can buy, saying that the rules will protect the environment and save money in the long run.
    — Tom Wait, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Unai Emery has been planning for the exit of No 1 Emi Martinez for the last two summers, and much detailed work has duly gone into sourcing his replacement.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of replacement
Adjective
  • Ukrainian authorities recovered Berezovska’s body three days later, having been led to her makeshift grave by Reut after he was tracked down by investigators.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, above ground, Scott Fox had joined the rescue effort, despite having retired nine months earlier from Rescue 5, as the FDNY formed makeshift companies out of surviving firefighters.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of makeshift
Verb
  • As most of the scientific books tell us, coagulating protein at lower temperatures produces more tender clumps; adding a little water or cream makes an omelet tenderer still.
    — Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2026
  • If an egg cracks during boiling, vinegar can help the egg white coagulate faster, preventing it from leaking into the water.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Definition of coagulate
Noun
  • In the 85th minute, the young winger made his professional debut as a late substitute.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • San Jose’s second-half substitute Preston Judd had a pair of chances after coming on at the hour mark, but the first shot was over the crossbar and the second was saved at point-blank range by Marcinkowski.
    — Mercury News, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of substitute
Adjective
  • Haj Bakry and Tommy Mysk discovered that DNS prefetching, a WebAuthn feature connected to passkeys and WebTransport can bypass WebKit's proxy configuration.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Russian proxy forces had seized the complex in 2014 and turned it into a secret prison.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of proxy
Verb
  • Be sure to harden off the seedlings before transferring them to your garden.
    — Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026
  • This buildup, called plaque, narrows and hardens the arteries, causing health problems.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 13 Aug. 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 21 Aug. 2026.

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