backdate

[bak-deyt]

verb (used with object)

backdated, backdating 

1. to date earlier than the actual date; predate; antedate.

   Backdate the letter so he'll think I wrote it last week.

backdate

/ ˌbækˈdeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to make effective from an earlier date

   the pay rise was backdated to August

Word History and Origins

Origin of backdate¹

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50; back ² + date ¹

Example Sentences

The sentence was backdated to the time of his arrest in Spain in May 2024.

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This prompted a separate case to challenge how far back a claimant could backdate access to a pension scheme at the European Court of Justice - and this was successful.

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He was then suspended for five years in a ban backdated to April 2023.

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The data also showed that nearly 90% of the approved permit applications were backdated, retroactively giving permission for flares that were already burning.

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After a civil court challenge the council was forced to release the data, which showed changes to three records had been made after the incident, including backdating records.

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