as in to aid
to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end
the Nobel-winning geneticist was of course backstopped in his research by a team of highly talented assistants
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Recent Examples of backstop
Williams was looking for feedback on the Fed’s use of a standing repo facility, a permanent lending tool that can backstop markets, per the report.
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Alex Harring, CNBC, 17 Nov. 2025
More nuclear power could help backstop renewables and displace coal.
—Brad Plumer, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2025
In that deal, Google also agreed to backstop a decade-long Fluidstack contract to buy capacity.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
If finalized, procuring M109A7s would transform Taiwan’s ground firepower and backstop its rocket and missile capabilities.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for backstop
Verb
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But aiding Capote with his work was different.—
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Maduro was aided substantially by Cuban intelligence officers, who helped root out threats to his rule.—
Verb
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Dual citizenship Henley & Partners is one of a number of companies that assists high-net-worth individuals in attaining dual citizenship around the globe.—
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So far, they have not been called upon to assist.—
Verb
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Conversely, collision coverage helps when your own car is damaged in a crash, whereas medical coverage helps cover treatment costs following an accident.—
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Additional mortgage purchases by Fannie Mae and Freddie could temporarily help lower mortgage costs, but that approach also could have unintended consequences, according to TD Securities analysts.—
Verb
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Each slipper’s lightweight design includes high-density memory foam insoles to support your feet and offer cushioning with each step.—
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During his tenure, the IRGC expanded repression at home and supported terrorist proxy groups abroad, including Hezbollah.—
Cite this Entry
“Backstop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstop. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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