back-to-back
1 of 2adjective or adverb
1
: facing in opposite directions and often touching
2
: coming one after the other : consecutive
plural back-to-backs
1
British
: a house that is connected in a row with other houses on each side and with a similar row of houses behind it
These were where the millworkers dwelt, the worst of them known as back-to-backs because that is how they were built, without intervening space.—
Geoffrey Moorhouse
Geoffrey Moorhouse2
sports
: a sequence of two games scheduled to be played on consecutive days
Miami began to beat elite teams and was bloodlessly efficient in the second half of back-to-backs, winning 11 in a row over a three-month stretch, a sign of a team with toughness.—Jack McCallum
Jack McCallumExamples of back-to-back in a Sentence
Adjective or adverb
the three movies in the series were filmed back-to-back so that the cast members wouldn't age visibly on screen
the new governor was soon facing several back-to-back crises
Recent Examples on the Web
Tim Britton, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Boston has not won a playoff series since, finishing last in back-to-back years before returning to the postseason last season and losing to the Yankees in the wild-card round.
—Jimmy Golen, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Teddy Swims followed up his back-to-back Coachella performances with a potent set at Stagecoach on Saturday and once again brought out David Lee Roth for the occasion.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2026
Jackson Cryst delivered back-to-back aces to secure the set and extend the match, shifting the energy in the arena.
—Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
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Adjective or adverb
The next and final steps in his rehab are to make back-to-back appearances and to come in during the middle of an inning.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Boston has not won a playoff series since, finishing last in back-to-back years before returning to the postseason last season and losing to the Yankees in the wild-card round.
—Jimmy Golen, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Teddy Swims followed up his back-to-back Coachella performances with a potent set at Stagecoach on Saturday and once again brought out David Lee Roth for the occasion.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2026
Jackson Cryst delivered back-to-back aces to secure the set and extend the match, shifting the energy in the arena.
—Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back-to-back
Cite this Entry
“Back-to-back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back-to-back. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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