back of

preposition

Synonyms of back ofnext
US, informal
: behind
… stood leaning against a parked car out back of the building …— Peter Goldman et al.
They now sit … just two games back of the Yankees in the wild card race.— Steve Buckley

Synonyms

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Examples of back of in a Sentence

the equipment shed is a concrete structure back of the school
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The League Cup represented the opportunity to heave the biggest monkey in English soccer off the back of an endlessly sleeping giant. — Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025 As detectives searched the house in the days after the fire, evidence of the incredulous story the young man told in the back of the ambulance began to emerge. — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN, 23 Mar. 2025 The pass went awry as Thompson missed Dahlin and the puck banked off the boards and went into the back of the Sabres' own net, with no goalie to stop it. — Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 22 Mar. 2025 McAtee remembers loading food into the back of customers’ vans and noticing pies made by competitors. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for back of

Word History

First Known Use

1694, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of back of was in 1694

Rhymes for back of

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Browse Nearby Words

back number
back of
back of beyond
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Cite this Entry

“Back of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20of. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

back of

preposition
informal
: behind entry 2 sense 1
out back of the barn
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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