What does “back” mean?
- 1
adverbto the place or state you were in before
I’ll be back in five minutes.
- 2
nounthe part of your body between your neck and your bottom
My back hurts from sitting all day.
- 3
nounthe part of something farthest from the front
We sat at the back of the bus.
Back at a glance
- Part of speech
- adverb & noun
- CEFR level
- A1 (beginner)
- Pronunciation
- /bæk/ · BAK
How to use “back” correctly
“In the back of the car” means the back seat; “at the back of the room” means the area farthest from the front.
Common phrases with “back”
- come back
- back pain
- in the back
- back and forth
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
Idioms with “back”
- Back to the drawing board: Used when a plan has failed and you must start again with a new idea.
- Back to square one: Back at the start, after an attempt has failed.
- Stab someone in the back: To betray someone who trusted you.
- Back on your feet: Healthy or successful again after an illness or difficult period.
“back” is on these word lists
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- far adverbA1at or to a great distance
- here adverbA1in, at or to this place
- outside adverbA1not in a building, or in the open air
- there adverbA1in, at, or to that place
- up adverbA1toward a higher place or position