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• back order
  back order

  noun

  an order or part of an order waiting to be filled.
• back-order
  back-order

  verb (used with object)

  to treat as a back order.

back order

¹ American  

noun

1. Commerce. an order or part of an order waiting to be filled.

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back-order ² American  

[bak-awr-der] / ˈbækˌɔr dər /

verb (used with object)

1. to treat as a back order.

   We have to back-order your sofa until the new fabric arrives.

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back order Idioms  

1. An item not currently in stock but to be sold or delivered when it becomes available, as in We don't have the shoes in white, but we can make them a back order. The verb back-order means “to obtain such an item,” as in The furniture store is going to back-order the sofa for us.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

back order back-order

The agency only has enough cameras to equip about half of its officers, and though it has ordered more, the specific type of body camera it uses is on back order.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

But with big turbines on back order for years, data-center players will take whatever they can get their hands on.

From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2025

When this story was published Friday, the total was approaching $2.2 million and the shirts were available on back order only.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2025

Stalin in 1942 issued Order No. 227 which became known as the "Not a step back" order.

From Reuters ● Jan. 3, 2023

Then she would go back finally and order it, but only if it was on back order and wouldn’t be shipped immediately.

From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson

The guidance comes as RH reported lower revenue for its latest quarter, dented by higher back-order and special order balances as a result of tariff-related resourcing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

But they may not come quickly, as most bus makers have long back-order lists, and building the charging infrastructure can take a year or two.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 26, 2022

“I think Johnny is going to get a back-order slip in his stocking this year,” Dr. Handfield said.

From New York Times ● Oct. 13, 2021

Amid product delays, the retailer says it developed a back-order feature on its website for customers who want to take advantage of the sale but find the item not in stock.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 19, 2021

He filled two orders and put the other half-dozen on the back-order book.

From A Man of Samples Something about the men he met "On the Road" by Maher, William H.