Backing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈba-kiŋ/ back·ing

Meaning & Definition of Backing

Backing (noun)

  1. something forming a back
  2. support, aid
  3. the music that is played along with someone who is singing or playing the main tune, the music that accompanies the lead musician

Backing (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an act or instance of helping

    "the teacher's backing on the science project was invaluable"

    similar: abetment, aid, assist, assistance, boost, hand, help, helping hand, leg up, lift, support
    related: advancement, encouragement, facilitation, forwarding, furtherance, furthering, nurturance, benefaction, patronage, promotion, sponsorship, advice, care, counsel, guidance, mentoring, attendance, attention, hand-holding, service, beneficence, charity, favor, kindness, philanthropy, assuagement, palliation, relief, succor
    opposite: hindrance
    near: constraint, frustration, inhibition, interference, obstruction, repression, restraint, deterrence, discouragement

  2. the financial support and general guidance for an undertaking

    "the museum exhibition would not have been possible without corporate backing"

    similar: aegis, auspice, patronage, sponsorship
    related: bankrolling, endowment, financing, funding, subsidy, encouragement, fosterage, aid, assistance, help

Backing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to promote the interests or cause of

    "she enthusiastically backed the plan to renovate and upgrade the school's facilities"

    similar: advocating, championing, endorsing, patronizing, plumping (for), plunking (for), supporting, going in for, going to bat for, holding a brief for, standing up for, sticking up for
    related: adopting, embracing, espousing, abetting, aiding, assisting, helping, propping (up), seconding, siding (with), backstopping, bolstering, boosting, buttressing, reinforcing, advancing, forwarding, furthering, plugging, preaching, talking up, bailing out, delivering, rescuing, saving
    near: baffling, foiling, frustrating, interfering, opposing, sabotaging, thwarting, deserting, disappointing, failing, letting down

  2. to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end

    "a number of influential people have already agreed to back the candidate"

    similar: abetting, aiding, assisting, backstopping, helping, propping (up), supporting, bearing a hand, standing one in good stead
    related: advancing, easing, facilitating, forwarding, fostering, furthering, launching, championing, endorsing, patronizing, promoting, sponsoring, attending, caring (for), comforting, ministering (to), succoring, sustaining, bolstering, boosting, buttressing, reinforcing, advising, counseling, guiding, mentoring, nurturing, bailing out, delivering, rescuing, saving, emboldening, encouraging, heartening, benefiting, favoring, obliging, profiting, serving
    opposite: hindering
    near: balking, barring, blocking, constraining, hampering, handicapping, holding back, impeding, inhibiting, obstructing, restraining, strangling, baffling, foiling, frustrating, inconveniencing, interfering, opposing, sabotaging, thwarting, deserting, disappointing, failing, letting down, discouraging, disheartening, repressing, retarding, stifling, straitening, stunting, damaging, harming, hurting, injuring

  3. to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea)

    "the author needs to back her thesis with more facts"

    similar: bolstering, buttressing, corroborating, reinforcing, shoring (up), substantiating, supporting
    related: confirming, establishing, proving, verifying, affirming, avouching, validating
    near: undercutting, undermining, weakening

Related Entry: Back (verb)

Back is a different word from Backing. The synonyms below are for back, not for backing.

  1. to promote the interests or cause of

    "she enthusiastically backed the plan to renovate and upgrade the school's facilities"

    similar: advocate, champion, endorse, patronize, plump (for), plunk (for), support, go in for, go to bat for, hold a brief for, stand up for, stick up for
    related: adopt, embrace, espouse, abet, aid, assist, help, prop (up), second, side (with), backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce, advance, forward, further, plug, preach, talk up, bail out, deliver, rescue, save
    near: baffle, foil, frustrate, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart, desert, disappoint, fail, let down

  2. to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end

    "a number of influential people have already agreed to back the candidate"

    similar: abet, aid, assist, backstop, help, prop (up), support, bear a hand, to stand one in good stead
    related: advance, ease, facilitate, forward, foster, further, launch, champion, endorse, patronize, promote, sponsor, attend, care (for), comfort, minister (to), succor, sustain, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce, advise, counsel, guide, mentor, nurture, bail out, deliver, rescue, save, embolden, encourage, hearten, benefit, favor, oblige, profit, serve
    opposite: hinder
    near: balk, bar, block, constrain, hamper, handicap, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, restrain, strangle, baffle, foil, frustrate, inconvenience, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart, desert, disappoint, fail, let down, discourage, dishearten, repress, retard, stifle, straiten, stunt, damage, harm, hurt, injure

  3. to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea)

    "the author needs to back her thesis with more facts"

    similar: bolster, buttress, corroborate, reinforce, shore (up), substantiate, support
    related: confirm, establish, prove, verify, affirm, avouch, validate
    near: undercut, undermine, weaken

Related Entry: Backing (up or away) (verb)

Backing (up or away) is a different word from Backing. The synonyms below are for backing (up or away), not for backing.

  1. as in retiring, withdrawing

    similar: receding, retiring, retreating, withdrawing, clearing out, departing, exiting, going, leaving, lighting out, pulling out, quitting, removing, running away, shoving (off), taking off, walking out
    opposite: approaching, bellying up, closing, closing in, coming up, drawing on, nearing, nighing, arriving, attaining, coming, gaining, hitting, landing, making, reaching, showing up, turning up, waltzing (up), creeping up, sneaking up

Related Entry: Backing (up) (verb)

Backing (up) is a different word from Backing. The synonyms below are for backing (up), not for backing.

  1. as in testifying (to), vouching (for)

    similar: avouching, testifying (to), vouching (for), witnessing, arguing, attesting, authenticating, bearing out, certifying, confirming, corroborating, substantiating, supporting, validating, verifying, vindicating, guaranteeing, warranting, affirming, asserting, averring, avowing, declaring, professing, demonstrating, documenting, establishing, proving, reinforcing
    opposite: disproving, rebutting, refuting, contradicting, gainsaying, denying, disavowing, disclaiming, challenging, contesting, disputing, questioning

  2. as in setting, hardening

    similar: clotting, coagulating, congealing, gelling, hardening, setting
    opposite: flowing, pouring, rolling, running, streaming, arising, disemboguing, effusing, emanating, issuing, springing, coursing, racing, rushing

Related Entry: Backing away (verb)

Backing away is a different word from Backing. The synonyms below are for backing away, not for backing.

  1. to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)

    "backed away from the snake very slowly and carefully"

    similar: dropping back, falling back, pulling out, receding, retiring, retreating, withdrawing, giving ground, giving way, losing ground
    related: fleeing, flying, flinching, recoiling, shrinking, chickening (out), bowing out, backing down, backpedaling, backtracking, climbing down, detaching, disengaging, disentangling, pulling away, abandoning, departing, evacuating, going, leaving, quitting, vacating
    opposite: advancing
    near: bearding, braving, brazening, breasting, confronting, daring, defying, facing, outbraving

Related Entry: Backing down (verb)

Backing down is a different word from Backing. The synonyms below are for backing down, not for backing.

  1. to break a promise or agreement

    "if you back down about dinner again, I'm not going to agree to another date"

    similar: backing off, backing out, copping out, finking out, reneging, going back on
    related: chickening (out), wimping out, backpedaling, backtracking, abjuring, abnegating, disavowing, forswearing, recalling, recanting, repudiating, retracting, taking back, unsaying, withdrawing, begging off, crying off (chiefly British)
    near: adhering (to), following through (with), complying (with), fulfilling, honoring, keeping, satisfying

Related Entry: Backing off (verb)

Backing off is a different word from Backing. The synonyms below are for backing off, not for backing.

  1. to break a promise or agreement

    "you'd better not back off on your promise to do all the planning for the big dance"

    similar: backing down, backing out, copping out, finking out, reneging, going back on
    related: chickening (out), wimping out, backpedaling, backtracking, abjuring, abnegating, disavowing, forswearing, recalling, recanting, repudiating, retracting, taking back, unsaying, withdrawing, begging off, crying off (chiefly British)
    near: adhering (to), following through (with), complying (with), fulfilling, honoring, keeping, satisfying

Related Entry: Backing out (verb)

Backing out is a different word from Backing. The synonyms below are for backing out, not for backing.

  1. to break a promise or agreement

    "she backed out on her offer to help with the wedding planning"

    similar: backing down, backing off, copping out, finking out, reneging, going back on
    related: chickening (out), wimping out, backpedaling, backtracking, abjuring, abnegating, disavowing, forswearing, recalling, recanting, repudiating, retracting, taking back, unsaying, withdrawing, begging off, crying off (chiefly British)
    near: adhering (to), following through (with), complying (with), fulfilling, honoring, keeping, satisfying

Related Entry: Back away (verb)

Back away is a different word from Backing. The synonyms below are for back away, not for backing.

  1. to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)

    "backed away from the snake very slowly and carefully"

    similar: drop back, fall back, pull out, recede, retire, retreat, withdraw, give ground, give way, lose ground
    related: flee, fly, flinch, recoil, shrink, chicken (out), bow out, back down, backpedal, backtrack, climb down, detach, disengage, disentangle, pull away, abandon, depart, evacuate, go, leave, quit, vacate
    opposite: advance
    near: beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Backing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Backing:

abetment, aid, assist, assistance, boost, hand, help, helping hand, leg up, lift, support, aegis, auspice, patronage, sponsorship, advocating, championing, endorsing, patronizing, plumping (for), plunking (for), supporting, abetting, aiding, assisting, backstopping, helping, propping (up), bolstering, buttressing, corroborating, reinforcing, shoring (up), substantiating, going in for, going to bat for, holding a brief for, standing up for, sticking up for, bearing a hand

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Backing

Words with the opposite meaning of Backing:

hindrance, hindering

Related Words for Backing

advancement, encouragement, facilitation, forwarding, furtherance, furthering, nurturance, benefaction, promotion, advice, care, counsel, guidance, mentoring, attendance, attention, hand-holding, service, beneficence, charity, favor, kindness, philanthropy, assuagement, palliation, relief, succor, bankrolling, endowment, financing

Near Antonyms of Backing

constraint, frustration, inhibition, interference, obstruction, repression, restraint, deterrence, discouragement, baffling, foiling, frustrating, interfering, opposing, sabotaging, thwarting, deserting, disappointing, failing, letting down, balking, barring, blocking, constraining, hampering, handicapping, holding back, impeding, inhibiting, obstructing

Word Forms of Backing

Inflections: backings

Origin & Etymology of Backing

First known use: 1745

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Backing

Frequently Asked Questions about Backing

What does "Backing" mean?

"Backing" means something forming a back. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: something forming a back. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Backing"?

Other words for "Backing" include abetment, aid, assist, assistance, boost, hand, help and helping hand. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Backing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Backing"?

There are 119 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Backing". Common alternatives include abetment, aid, assist, assistance, boost, hand, help, helping hand, leg up and lift.

What is the opposite of "Backing"?

Antonyms of "Backing" include hindrance and hindering. Near antonyms include constraint, frustration, inhibition and interference.

How do you use "Backing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Backing" in a sentence: "the teacher's backing on the science project was invaluable"; "the museum exhibition would not have been possible without corporate backing"; "she enthusiastically backed the plan to renovate and upgrade the school's facilities".

Is "Backing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Backing" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Backing" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Backing" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Backing"?

"Backing" is pronounced /ˈba-kiŋ/ and divided into syllables as back·ing.