backing

American  

[bak-ing] / ˈbæk ɪŋ /

noun

1. aid or support of any kind.

   Synonyms:

   encouragement, patronage, sanction, sponsorship, endorsement, assistance, help

2. supporters or backers collectively.

3. something that forms the back or is placed at or attached to the back of anything to support, strengthen, or protect it.

4. Theater. a curtain or flat placed behind a window, entrance, or other opening in a stage set to conceal the offstage area.

5. material for backing a joist or rafter.

6. a bevel given to the outer and upper edge of a hip rafter.

7. the musical accompaniment for a soloist; backup.

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backing British  

/ ˈbækɪŋ /

noun

1. support given to a person, cause, or enterprise

2. a body of supporters

3. something that forms, protects, supports, or strengthens the back of something

4. theatre a scenic cloth or flat placed behind a window, door, etc, in a set to mask the offstage space

5. musical accompaniment, esp for a pop singer

6. the support in gold or precious metals for a country's issue of money in notes

7. meteorol an anticlockwise change in wind direction

8. a passageway running behind a row of terraced houses

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Etymology

Origin of backing

First recorded in 1590–1600; back ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

"With crude backing off, the pressure on inflation expectations and front-end yields eases at the margin, and that is enough to let capital rotate back toward risk, at least for now."

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

The decision was made by Rosenior alongside co‑sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, with the backing of influential ownership figures including Behdad Eghbali.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Yet a striking gap has emerged: While some allies quietly provide the capabilities, there is a visible lack of political backing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

But last month, according to The Information and CNBC, OpenAI was backing away from the Instant Checkout feature, which allowed direct purchases through ChatGPT, following challenges in getting those purchases to work consistently.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

But after backing into the wall twice, he gets things under control.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

Related Words

• advocacy
• aid
• assistance
• encouragement
• endorsement
• help
• sponsorship
• subsidy