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Synonyms

backer

American  
[bak-er] / ˈbæk ər /

noun

  1. a person who supports or aids a person, cause, enterprise, etc.

    Synonyms:
    helper, aide, guarantor, sponsor, supporter

  2. a person who bets on a competitor in a race or contest.

  3. canvas or other material used for backing.

backer British  
/ ˈbækə /

noun

  1. a person who gives financial or other support

  2. a person who bets on a competitor or contestant

"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

Etymology

Origin of backer

First recorded in 1535–45; back 1 + -er 1

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.

In any given year, that might include billionaire venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson, who was also an early Tesla and SpaceX backer and longtime Elon Musk ally, or Uber co-founder Garrett Camp.

From Slate • May 8, 2026

Watch how LIV Golf tried to reinvent the game of golf — and why it’s now on life support as its main backer pulls the plug.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

Musk was the biggest individual financial backer of OpenAI, contributing more than $44 million to the startup, according to court filings.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

However, China was the election's biggest backer, analysts say, and discussions over stalled Beijing-backed infrastructure projects are now being revived.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

I acted in the capacity of backer, or best-man, to the bridegroom; while a little limp pew-opener in a soft bonnet like a baby’s, made a feint of being the bosom friend of Miss Skiffins.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

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.