as in to aid
to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end
the Nobel-winning geneticist was of course backstopped in his research by a team of highly talented assistants
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backstop
Earlier this month, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said the league would backstop the teams that elected to cut ties with their RSNs.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest men, personally agreed to backstop the equity in Par’s latest offer to address WBD’s concerns.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 12 Jan. 2026
Trump has suggested on social media that America would help to backstop any investments.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Google will backstop Fluidstack’s lease payments, underscoring Big Tech’s role in de-risking these projects.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backstop
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest men, personally agreed to backstop the equity in Par’s latest offer to address WBD’s concerns.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 12 Jan. 2026
Trump has suggested on social media that America would help to backstop any investments.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Google will backstop Fluidstack’s lease payments, underscoring Big Tech’s role in de-risking these projects.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backstop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backstop
Verb
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Police say the cameras have aided in investigations, including a crash at Peachtree Blvd.—
Leondra Head,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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His efforts were greatly aided, Kirkpatrick reports, by the fact that so many of them feared for their lives—after several of their fellow-scientists had been assassinated in Israeli operations.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Viktor Arvidsson, who assisted on all three regulation goals and is proving to be a fantastic acquisition, beat Greaves on a backhander to cash the two highly improbable points.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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The spa also offers an array of signature treatments worth exploring—from wellness rituals (like the Signature Bamford Treatment, which includes a footbath, massage, and assisted yogic breathing) to body rituals (mud baths, sauna wraps) and facials (including a luxurious 24K gold option).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Going to a local bike shop instead of buying online can help, enabling riders to ask questions, take a test ride and learn what’s legal and what isn’t.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Liba helped create a WhatsApp group that allowed participants to engage in critical dialogue about Israel.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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By that, Lentsch means that the general public — the masses — overwhelmingly support public lands and have the potential to throw their support behind the cause.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
3 Apr. 2026
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The school raised the majority of the funding for the forest from the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, which will also support an environmental science project on campus.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backstop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstop. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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