on the back of
idiom
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
Vertiv — The provider of data center cooling and power equipment’s stock jumped nearly 20% on the back of upbeat guidance for 2026 that was well ahead of Wall Street’s expectations.
—
Christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
After all, Frank will surely get another decent job on the back of his impressive performance with Brentford.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The country entered a technical recession in 2024 on the back of high inflation and weak domestic demand, and has run the risk of doing so again in the years since.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Box office expectations for the movie are high on the back of the popularity of the manga which has sold more than 50 million copies in circulation and has been translated into 24 languages.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on the back of
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.
Christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
After all, Frank will surely get another decent job on the back of his impressive performance with Brentford.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The country entered a technical recession in 2024 on the back of high inflation and weak domestic demand, and has run the risk of doing so again in the years since.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Box office expectations for the movie are high on the back of the popularity of the manga which has sold more than 50 million copies in circulation and has been translated into 24 languages.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on the back of
Cite this Entry
“On the back of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20back%20of. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
