What does "backstop" mean?
An object or a person put in the rear or in the back of something to reinforce, hold, support.
Backstop
/ˈbæk.stɒp/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An object or a person put in the rear or in the back of something to reinforce, hold, support.
- Grammar: backstop is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: advocate, aegis, arch dam, arm guard.
- Useful contrasts: dilute, expose, exposure.
- Usage evidence: Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, this morning, said a time-limited backstop would be unacceptable, and has previously promised to vote down the UK’s Brexit withdrawal deal unless it features a satisfactory backstop.
How to use "backstop"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "backstop" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "backstop" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "backstop" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "backstop" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "backstop" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "advocate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "backstop", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An object or a person put in the rear or in the back of something to reinforce, hold, support.
- 2 a precaution in case of an emergency wordnet
- 3 A default arrangement that holds if all else fails.
"Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, this morning, said a time-limited backstop would be unacceptable, and has previously promised to vote down the UK’s Brexit withdrawal deal unless it features a satisfactory backstop."
- 4 (baseball) a fence or screen (as behind home plate) to prevent the ball from traveling out of the playing field wordnet
- 5 A wall or fence behind home plate.
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 (baseball) the person who plays the position of catcher wordnet
- 7 A catcher; the position of catcher. slang
"Bench may be the greatest catcher subjectively, but he's not statistically. Statwise, Yogi Berra is the all-time backstop, regardless of which measure you prefer. Berra's Total-Z is one-third of a standard deviation higher than Bench's, and his Core-Z average is a point better."
- 8 The player who stands immediately behind the striking base.
- 9 The longstop. dated
- 10 The wicket-keeper. dated
- 11 Something serving to bolster or support a cover story etc.
"[…] to be set up in Indonesia with a phony book and school supplies company established in New York City as a backstop."
Verb
- 1 To serve as backstop for. transitive
- 2 act as a backstop wordnet
- 3 To bolster, support. transitive
"Russia signalled on Monday it would backstop the European Union's bailout of Cyprus despite anger that the weekend rescue deal would impose heavy losses on uninsured depositors, many of them Russian."
Proper Noun
- 1 A proposed seamless border between Ireland and Northern Ireland in the event of Brexit. UK
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, this morning, said a time-limited backstop would be unacceptable, and has previously promised to vote down the UK’s Brexit withdrawal deal unless it features a satisfactory backstop."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "backstop"?
Common synonyms include: advocate, aegis, arch dam, arm guard, back, back.
How do you use "backstop" in a sentence?
Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, this morning, said a time-limited backstop would be unacceptable, and has previously promised to vote down the UK’s Brexit withdrawal deal unless it features a satisfactory backstop.
How do you pronounce "backstop"?
Pronounced /ˈbæk.stɒp/.
Etymology
From back + stop.