back-to-back
1 of 2adjective or adverb
1
: facing in opposite directions and often touching
2
: coming one after the other : consecutive
plural back-to-backs
1
British
: a house that is connected in a row with other houses on each side and with a similar row of houses behind it
These were where the millworkers dwelt, the worst of them known as back-to-backs because that is how they were built, without intervening space.—
Geoffrey Moorhouse
Geoffrey Moorhouse2
sports
: a sequence of two games scheduled to be played on consecutive days
Miami began to beat elite teams and was bloodlessly efficient in the second half of back-to-backs, winning 11 in a row over a three-month stretch, a sign of a team with toughness.—Jack McCallum
Jack McCallumSynonyms
Examples of back-to-back in a Sentence
Adjective or adverb
the three movies in the series were filmed back-to-back so that the cast members wouldn't age visibly on screen
the new governor was soon facing several back-to-back crises
Recent Examples on the WebKeven Lerner, Sun Sentinel, 1 July 2024
Aside from looking to win back-to-back titles on the grass courts of SW19, the 21-year-old also has a chance to do what only five male players in the Open Era have done: winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.
—Aleks Klossok, CNN, 1 July 2024
Although shark attacks are still considered rare, Friday's incident follows three back-to-back shark attacks that occurred in the waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast on June 7.
—Gary T. Mills, USA TODAY, 1 July 2024
Phillies starter Aaron Nola (9-4) was replaced by Matt Strahm after Miami tied the score on back-to-back doubles by Otto Lopez and Nick Fortes.
—Miami Herald, 30 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for back-to-back 
Adjective or adverb
Before that, the Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.
—Keven Lerner, Sun Sentinel, 1 July 2024
Aside from looking to win back-to-back titles on the grass courts of SW19, the 21-year-old also has a chance to do what only five male players in the Open Era have done: winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.
—Aleks Klossok, CNN, 1 July 2024
Although shark attacks are still considered rare, Friday's incident follows three back-to-back shark attacks that occurred in the waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast on June 7.
—Gary T. Mills, USA TODAY, 1 July 2024
Phillies starter Aaron Nola (9-4) was replaced by Matt Strahm after Miami tied the score on back-to-back doubles by Otto Lopez and Nick Fortes.
—Miami Herald, 30 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for back-to-back
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'back-to-back.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near back-to-back
Cite this Entry
“Back-to-back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back-to-back. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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