backlog
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
to hold in reserve, as for future handling or repair.
-
to enter and acknowledge (an order) for future shipment.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
an accumulation of uncompleted work, unsold stock, etc, to be dealt with
-
a large log at the back of a fireplace
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of backlog
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."
Vocabulary lists containing backlog
The Unteachables
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for January 22–January 28, 2022
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Freedom of Information Act (2016)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The agency said it had reduced the initial disability claims backlog by over 30% from a high of nearly 1.3 million in 2024 to 853,000 currently.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
How did the courts backlog get so bad?
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Her company now has a monthlong backlog of orders, with workshops consistently fully booked.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
But the industry’s backlog of unsold companies continues to mount, which will likely support demand for specialized financing products in the years to come.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 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
The SSA currently does not provide the same detailed, real-time metrics as it did in the past, providing only snapshots of its performance instead of running updated tabulations of caseloads, timings and backlogs, analysts said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Both Bloom Energy and GE Vernova’s order backlogs have soared to $20 billion and $163 billion, respectively.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Meanwhile, long backlogs in both aviation and the power industry should give these manufacturers room to raise prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Cabinet minister Hilary Benn told the BBC on Thursday the government had "dealt with the backlogs, we're now processing asylum claims much much quicker".
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
We selected butternut for backlogs, because, when green, it burns very slowly and lasts a long time.
From Woodcraft by Sears, George Washington
The U.S. needs to build more power plants, poles and wires to meet rising electricity demand, but projects and supply chains are backlogged in every direction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
This is not normal; immigration court is deeply backlogged and most cases of asylum—one of the most complex forms of U.S. immigration—were being assigned well into 2029 and 2030.
From Slate ● Mar. 27, 2026
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 Doctorow, Cory
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
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.
