backlog

American  

[bak-lawg, -log] / ˈbækˌlɔg, -ˌlɒg /

noun

• backlogs
  plural

1. a reserve or accumulation, as of stock, work, or business.

   a backlog of business orders.

   Synonyms:

   reservoir, cache, fund, store, stock, supply

2. a large log at the back of a hearth to keep up a fire.

---

verb (used with object)

backlogged, backlogging

1. to hold in reserve, as for future handling or repair.

2. to enter and acknowledge (an order) for future shipment.

verb (used without object)

backlogged, backlogging

1. to accumulate in a backlog.

   Orders are starting to backlog faster than we can process them.

backlog British  

/ ˈbækˌlɒɡ /

noun

1. an accumulation of uncompleted work, unsold stock, etc, to be dealt with

2. a large log at the back of a fireplace

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• backlogs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of backlog

First recorded in 1675–85; back ¹ + log ¹

Explanation

When you have extra work to do that keeps accumulating, you have a backlog. Sometimes people stay late at their jobs to take care of a backlog. A backlog of tasks might slow down an ordinary day at an office or store, or require workers to come in on the weekend to catch up. In 1680, a backlog meant "a large log placed at the back of a fireplace," and by the 1880s it came to also mean "something stored for later use." It wasn't until the early 20th century that a backlog most often referred to "extra unfulfilled orders."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

backlog backlogs backlogged backlogging

A backlog of applications from the UK for working holiday visas would continue to be processed slowly after a record 80,000 applications -- a matter that is under discussion with the UK government, he said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026

At the end of the August quarter, Oracle reported total remaining performance obligations — a proxy for backlog — of $664 billion.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

And almost all of its revenue backlog is set to come at least eight years in the future.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

The company saw its backlog grow even more in the latest quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

I checked my e-mail, reading the backlog of letters from my mother, getting snippier as they progressed to the present.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

The company late Wednesday said products are moving through its distribution network at or above normal levels as the Marlborough, Mass., company works to fulfill customer orders, reduce backlogs and accelerate the delivery of products.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Key indicators of demand — new orders, order backlogs and imports — saw large declines in the month, she noted.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

Despite coroners ordering post-mortems for 51% of deaths reported to them, a dearth of pathologists willing to work for coroners is leading to huge backlogs of up to a year.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Experts say extended deployments cause maintenance backlogs and stress sailors, who face uncertainty over end dates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

For the huge fireplace, huge lengths of logs, for the backlogs, were cut, which required three persons to roll in place.

From Blazing The Way True Stories, Songs and Sketches of Puget Sound by Emily Inez Denny

This is not normal; immigration court is deeply backlogged and most cases of asylum—one of the most complex forms of U.S. immigration—were being assigned well into 2029 and 2030.

From Slate ● Mar. 27, 2026

The BLS is expected to quickly release the backlogged September jobs report after the government reopens, since it is pegged to data that was collected before the closure began on Oct.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2025

Pending approval by the House and signing by President Donald Trump, a reopened government would pave the way for a flood of backlogged economic data and the resumption of normal airline operations, among other functions.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2025

The government said it changed the rules to "enhance" the link between Italy and the citizen abroad, avoid 'abuse' and 'commercialisation' of passports, and free up resources to clear backlogged applications.

From BBC ● May 21, 2025

If everyone who came before the court for a competency hearing brought out a bunch of irrelevant witnesses and made long speeches, the court calendar would be backlogged for decades.

From Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow

Interviews documented in the police report suggest that a key cause of the backlogging at the lab is a 2009 US Supreme Court decision known as Melendez-Diaz v.

From Nature ● Oct. 10, 2012

But in two fair-sized cities, Portland, Ore., and New Orleans, district attorneys claim that they have been able to get stiffer sentences without backlogging the court docket by cutting down on plea bargaining.

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• inventory
• stockpile