What does "backup" mean?
A reserve or substitute.
Backup
/ˈbækˌʌp/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A reserve or substitute.
- Grammar: backup is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: reserve, spare, stand-in, substitute.
- Useful contrasts: essential, lead, live data.
- Usage evidence: Jane radioed the dispatcher for backup.
How to use "backup"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "backup" 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 "backup" 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 "backup" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "backup" 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 "backup" is acting as adj, noun, verb 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 "reserve" 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 "backup", 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 A reserve or substitute.
"If the goalkeeper is injured, we have a backup."
- 2 the act of providing approval and support wordnet
- 3 A copy of a file or record, stored separately from the original, that can be used to recover the original if it is damaged or destroyed.
"After the power failure, we had to restore the database from backup."
- 4 (computer science) a copy of a file or directory on a separate storage device wordnet
- 5 An accumulation of material caused by a (partial) obstruction or (complete) blockage of the flow or movement of the material, or an accumulation of material that causes an overflow due to the flow being greater than the maximum possible flow.
"The accident caused a mile-long backup on the highway."
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 a musical part (vocal or instrumental) that supports or provides background for other musical parts wordnet
- 7 Reinforcements.
"He's got a gun! You'd better send for backup."
- 8 someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult) wordnet
- 9 Any support or extra help.
"This guy, he grabs the dog by the ears, stares it down like a cowboy in a showdown. The man regains control again. He scans the area, hoping for backup. Nothing. No neighbours, no dog whisperers, no animal control."
- 10 an accumulation caused by clogging or a stoppage wordnet
- 11 Accompaniment.
"Debbie Ahn, on piano, provided some mesmerizing back-up and many fiery, on-target solos."
- 12 Corroboration.
"Pg. 206 on Yudit's comments on the feminists of Tel Aviv, "... and now they are translating Our Bodies Ourselves into Hebrew, leaving out the section on gays" was misinformed, a statement made without authoratative ^([sic]) backup in 1979 about a book first published in 1982."
Verb
- 1 Alternative form of back up. alt-of, alternative, nonstandard
"We have two methods for backupping: the first one is writing the contents of disks onto magnetic tapes and the other is making a copy of the contents of disks on the disk of the mainframe computers of the laboratory."
Adjective
- 1 Standby, reserve or extra. not-comparable
"I am only a backup player."
- 2 That is intended as a backup. not-comparable
"Make a backup copy of that file."
- 3 Supporting, reinforcing; (music) of or related to accompaniment not-comparable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Jane radioed the dispatcher for backup."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "backup"?
Common synonyms include: reserve, spare, stand-in, substitute, about face, about-face.
How do you use "backup" in a sentence?
Jane radioed the dispatcher for backup.
How do you pronounce "backup"?
Pronounced /ˈbækˌʌp/.
Etymology
Deverbal from back up.