backstop
Americannoun
-
a wall, wire screen, or the like, serving to prevent a ball from going too far beyond the normal playing area.
-
Baseball. the catcher.
-
a person or thing that serves as a support, safeguard, or reinforcement.
There were technicians on board as backstops to the automated controls.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
-
sport a screen or fence to prevent balls leaving the playing area
-
a block or catch to prevent excessive backward movement, such as one on the sliding seat of a rowing boat
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of backstop
Explanation
In baseball, a backstop is the wall or fence behind home plate that keeps the ball on the playing field. If the batter hits the ball into the backstop, it's a foul ball. When a softball player is up at bat, the backstop is behind her. Part of the backstop's purpose is to keep players and spectators from getting hurt by foul balls or bats that players toss after hitting the ball. You can also use the word backstop to describe a thing or a person that stands behind something, offering reinforcement or support. The earliest use of the word, in 1819, is from cricket.
Vocabulary lists containing backstop
Baseball in April
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!
Race to the Sun
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!
Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!
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:
In the past, courts have supplied this important backstop in other widespread policy challenges, such as the public health threats of tobacco use and the opioid epidemic, that lacked adequate legislative or regulatory responses.
From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026
This is an example of how a trusted contact on a financial account can be a backstop against elder fraud.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
That’s because of an agreement approved by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti and other city officials committing Los Angeles to be a financial backstop for the 2028 Games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
It also has $430 billion worth of potential revenue lined up through some very large data-center contracts, primarily with OpenAI as the customer and some backstop support from Nvidia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Then I wait for all the Renegades to be by the backstop.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
OpenAI has signed a lease for the project, backstopped by a commitment from Nvidia to take it over if OpenAI defaults.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Vegas’s two regular starters, including the one that backstopped them during their championship run in 2023, were mired in the worst seasons of their careers in the desert.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
California backstopped the federal subsidies for the lowest-income enrollees — mostly those for households earning up to 150% of the federal poverty level, or $23,940 for individuals and $49,500 for a family of four.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
The Senate proposal would also extend $10 million in coverage to credit unions, which have long shared similar deposit insurance limits as banks, albeit backstopped by separate funds.
From Barron's ● Dec. 18, 2025
Multiple Democratic- and Republican-run states, as well as Native American tribes, declared emergencies and backstopped tens of millions of dollars for food payments, while acknowledging that that still wouldn’t suffice.
From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2025
Larger technology companies have started backstopping deals with AI startups to help them secure access.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Warner’s board told shareholders to reject Paramount’s bid last week, citing concerns that the Ellisons weren’t fully backstopping the financing.
From Barron's ● Dec. 22, 2025
Nvidia also committed to purchase any unsold cloud-computing capacity from CoreWeave through 2032, effectively backstopping its customer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025
The companies told Congress this year they plan to roughly quadruple the list price of the shots, to about $130, because they are entering the private market and the government is no longer backstopping purchases.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 2, 2023
"I'll let that do most of the backstopping."
From Rival Pitchers of Oakdale by Morgan Scott
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.
