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Synonyms

backed

American  
[bakt] / bækt /

adjective

  1. having a back, backing, setting, or support (often used in combination).

    a low-backed sofa.

  2. (of fabric) having an extra set of threads in either the warp or the weft to provide added warmth.

  3. Photography. (of a film or plate) coated with a substance for absorbing light and thereby reducing halation.

backed British  
/ bækt /

adjective

    1. having a back or backing

    2. ( in combination )

      high-backed

      black-backed
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • half-backed adjective
  • well-backed adjective

Etymology

Origin of backed

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; back 1, -ed 3

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By day’s end, after setting off a global panic, the president backed down and announced a two-week ceasefire deal.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026

Companies backed by private-equity firms are appealing customers in part because their owners are already trying to cut costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

A new study finds that about one-third of long-standing "linguistic universals" are backed by strong statistical evidence when tested using modern evolutionary methods.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

Cameroon's President Paul Biya, the world's oldest leader, is set to get a vice-president for the first time in his four-decade rule following controversial constitutional changes backed by parliament.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

He backed out of the doorway before darting down the hall.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.