1
as in to testify (to)
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in makeshift
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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)
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The charge is essentially a backup should the murder case fall apart.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
Fiber‑optic cable maker Sterlite Technologies , backup power generator manufacturer Cummins India , and wires and cables company Polycab India are also part of Macquarie’s basket.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Noun
There was no plumbing backup, of course — there is no actual plumbing on the Orion spacecraft, as urine is vented out into space and fecal matter is collected for later disposal.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The charge is essentially a backup should the murder case fall apart.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Regardless, Leite’s departure means the Valkyries will be in the market for a backup point guard, whether through free agency or in the WNBA amateur draft, which is set for April 13.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
Fiber‑optic cable maker Sterlite Technologies , backup power generator manufacturer Cummins India , and wires and cables company Polycab India are also part of Macquarie’s basket.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back (up)
Verb
-
Jarocki molded that talent and got it to gel at the perfect time with decisive wins over Arapahoe in the Great 8 and Denver East in the Final 4 before beating Northfield 54-51 in a back-and-forth championship.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
-
His unfailing commitment to civilian authority gave time for government institutions to sink roots, and established norms that gelled into the professional ethos of our military today.—
Kori Schake,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Karla Brustad has put on sing-alongs, strum alongs, hootenannies and all sorts of free community jams, getting folks singing and playing the ukulele.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In the season opener against Lemont, Sokolnicki entered the game with two runners on base and no outs in the top of the seventh inning and worked his way out of the jam with just three pitches.—
Bobby Narang,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Knee replacement surgery used to require a surgeon to manually saw bone — an inherently imprecise process.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Savaiinaea’s still projected as a starter heading into 2026 unless the Dolphins find a replacement in this upcoming draft.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Eventually, Pearlene collapsed and died inside a makeshift bathroom in the family’s trailer, which had no running water or electricity.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Further inspection found a Mexican citizen scrunched into a makeshift, dry compartment in the gas tank that February day.—
Jim Radcliffe,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wildlife officials attempted to lure the bear out using bait, lights and noise, but the animal continued returning to the space.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
That lack of awareness is borne out in the data.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Two dented blue bottles of Cuajo Titanium, a liquid coagulating enzyme used to curdle milk, remained on a wooden table, caked in mud.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
-
A lot of the ambivalent parent discourse tends to coagulate around white cis-het mothers of a certain milieu.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Caitlin Clark-effect was not a myth, and there is no substitute for an organic creation that can consistently bust 3-pointers from 30 feet.—
Mac Engel
March 31,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Messi went in as a halftime substitute in the 2-1 victory over Mauritania on March 27, a result against an inexperienced opponent that did not sit well with Scaloni.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Even factors like proxy pool size and geographic coverage don't tell the whole story without context.—
Justyn Newman,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The group launched rockets and drones from southern Lebanon, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes and escalating the conflict into a broader regional confrontation tied directly to Tehran, Iran, and its proxy network.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Back (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20%28up%29. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
