1
as in jams
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
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2
as in replacements
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backups
The stickers are also used as backups in case the main, larger tags applied around handles fall off or are damaged.
—
Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
Right now, backups at the exit spilling out onto I-70 can create dangerous conditions.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Anderson made arguably the best pass of the day among the backups – a 15-yard pass to Spafford, the only touchdown thrown by someone other than Mensah on Saturday.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
This bottleneck causes daily backups of at least half a mile, creating dangerous merging conditions into bumper-to-bumper traffic.
—Jim Radcliffe, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
One of the biggest rebuilds on the San Diego State defense this spring is at linebacker, where SDSU watched one starter transfer to a Power Four program, saw another starter sidelined following knee surgery and lost two backups to graduation.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The Sixers dispatched the Magic — who blew a chance to host the play-in when their starters lost to eight Celtics backups in Sunday’s regular-season finale — without star center Joel Embiid.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
The Commanders’ offense should be one of the best if everyone stays healthy, and Love would average 15+ touches with Rachaad White, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jerome Ford as his backups.
—Jake Ciely, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Water Is Your Friend According to sewer and drain specialist Tyler Pittenger, a long flush of water after using the disposal is the best way to prevent clogs and backups.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 10 Apr. 2026
Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
Right now, backups at the exit spilling out onto I-70 can create dangerous conditions.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Anderson made arguably the best pass of the day among the backups – a 15-yard pass to Spafford, the only touchdown thrown by someone other than Mensah on Saturday.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
This bottleneck causes daily backups of at least half a mile, creating dangerous merging conditions into bumper-to-bumper traffic.
—Jim Radcliffe, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
One of the biggest rebuilds on the San Diego State defense this spring is at linebacker, where SDSU watched one starter transfer to a Power Four program, saw another starter sidelined following knee surgery and lost two backups to graduation.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The Sixers dispatched the Magic — who blew a chance to host the play-in when their starters lost to eight Celtics backups in Sunday’s regular-season finale — without star center Joel Embiid.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
The Commanders’ offense should be one of the best if everyone stays healthy, and Love would average 15+ touches with Rachaad White, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jerome Ford as his backups.
—Jake Ciely, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Water Is Your Friend According to sewer and drain specialist Tyler Pittenger, a long flush of water after using the disposal is the best way to prevent clogs and backups.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backups
Noun
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The outing wasn’t free of some jams, but Wright worked out of them with poise.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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Arndt allowed baserunners in each of the first five innings but wiggled out of most of the jams.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The company has received 5,952 reports involving DC-DC converter replacements, but these have resulted in no accidents or injuries.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
27 Apr. 2026
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By addressing messes quickly and effectively, these types of products can help prevent stains, odors, and wear that often lead to deeper cleaning, repairs, or replacements.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Every Gothic cathedral is the product of ideas that altered over generations, ambitions abandoned or superseded, compromises with ballooning budgets, labor shortages, or bottlenecks in the supply chain from quarries and forests and mines.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
23 Apr. 2026
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Producing more oil does not eliminate volatility if economies remain tied to global pricing mechanisms and physical bottlenecks that constrain supply movement.—
Tenzin Seldon,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Following the report, the teacher, who last worked for the district on April 2, was removed from the district’s list of available substitutes.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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One patient born without an olfactory bulb could smell because other parts of her brain remolded to serve as substitutes.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backups. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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