plural backpacks
1
a
: a pack (see pack entry 1 sense 1a) that usually has two shoulder straps and is carried on the back: such as
(1)
: a large pack (as of canvas or nylon) that is supported by an external or internal frame (as of aluminum) and is used especially for carrying supplies when hiking and camping
The logistics of the trip required that I carry all my stuff in a backpack. Since I didn't want to lug too heavy a load on the hiking leg of the trip, I pared way down.—
Daisann McLane
Daisann McLane
(2)
: a bag or small pack (as of canvas, polyester, or nylon) used for carrying personal belongings or supplies : knapsack
I rode my bicycle to the market and rode home with my backpack full of exotic lettuces and basil-garlic baguettes.—Meredith Maran
Meredith MaranEach morning, tens of thousands of moms load phones, along with homework, into the backpacks of schoolchildren.—Michael Specter
Michael Specter
b
: a load carried on the back
2
: a piece of equipment designed for use while being carried on the back
By wearing a jet-propelled "space backpack," astronauts will be able to move freely in space, making it possible to build, repair, and maintain craft in orbit …—Business Week
Business WeekI'm soaring above the central Sahara in a powered paraglider, a single-seat aircraft that looks like a flying lawn chair. Developed in France, it combines an inflated, parachute-like wing with a 50-pound motorized backpack.—George Steinmetz
George Steinmetz
backpacked; backpacking; backpacks
: to carry (food or equipment) on the back especially in hiking
: to hike with a backpack
backpacker
noun
Examples of backpack in a Sentence
Noun
stuffed her backpack with so many books that she could barely walk
Verb
After college, she backpacked through Europe.
We're planning to go backpacking in a national park this summer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
Investigators found a vehicle that had camping gear and backpacks -- but not the hunters -- which concerned authorities due to heavy rain and bad weather, according to officials.
—ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025
Vivian Song, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
After college, her grandmother gifted her and her siblings some money, and Walters embarked on a major backpacking trip through Europe with friends while her MS symptoms were still nascent and not impacting her mobility yet.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backpack
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Noun
Hanging from the fence was a backpack and a reusable shopping bag — each containing a plate capable of stopping small arms fire, according to prosecutors.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
Investigators found a vehicle that had camping gear and backpacks -- but not the hunters -- which concerned authorities due to heavy rain and bad weather, according to officials.
—ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
Many travelers who backpacked through Europe in the 1990s and 2000s can vouch for the phenomenon, when some young Americans posed as Canadians.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
After college, her grandmother gifted her and her siblings some money, and Walters embarked on a major backpacking trip through Europe with friends while her MS symptoms were still nascent and not impacting her mobility yet.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backpack
Cite this Entry
“Backpack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backpack. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.
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