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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• backlogs
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of backlog

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

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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

Adding to the backlog are prolific requesters who flood the department with complex and time-consuming inquiries, all of which have to undergo several levels of review to avoid the release of private data, they argue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

Being stuck in this backlog has real consequences for borrowers, the suit claims.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

That makes it the latest in a string of big defense contractors reporting fresh backlog records as government orders for missiles and other technologies ramp up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

The energy equipment company, formed from the breakup of General Electric, says orders nearly doubled in the recent quarter, to $29.3 billion, while backlog grew about $20 billion sequentially, to $197 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

The posters were so good that word of mouth spread, and soon Lori had such a backlog of orders that she was up working until one or two every morning.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Last week, hundreds of ticket holders were reportedly turned away due to backlogs when the museum closed early for a private event.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

The series of radical reforms, including scaling back jury trials, were presented as the best way of turning around record backlogs which, in turn, were exacerbating the prison population crisis.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

He said it is important to reduce visa backlogs and modernize the immigration system to meet the needs of our economy and support employers and legal immigrants.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

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

He had a big, open fireplace with backlogs and andirons.

From Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart

It was backlogged, so they would fly them in-country to wherever they wanted to go.

From Slate ● Sep. 28, 2026

The reopened federal government will on Thursday release the first backlogged monthly jobs report, for the month of September.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 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

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Related Words

• inventory
• stockpile

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