back to back

adverb

1. (of two similar events) following one immediately after the other; in unbroken sequence; consecutively:

   After losing all day, he picked winners back to back in the last two races.

adjective

1. adjacent or contiguous but oppositely oriented; having the backs close together or adjoining:

   The seats in the day coach are back to back.

2. Stud Poker. (of a pair) consisting of the hole card and the first upcard:

   He had aces back to back.

back-to-back

adjective

1. facing in opposite directions, often with the backs touching
2. (of urban houses) built so that their backs are joined or separated only by a narrow alley
3. informal.
   consecutive
4. commerce
   1. denoting a credit arrangement in which a finance house acts as an intermediary to conceal the identity of the seller from the buyer
   2. denoting a loan from one company to another in a different country using a finance house to provide the loan but not the funding

noun

1. a house or terrace built in back-to-back style

Word History and Origins

Origin of back to back¹

First recorded in 1450–1500

Example Sentences

The 2025 season will include 52 double bills of men's and women's matches back to back - of which all 18 first-class counties will host at least one.

From BBC

"Doing the whole set on your own is horrible. You don't get to socialise. It's nice having the boys so we can go back to back so we can enjoy the party as well as host the party."

From BBC

But before we shot that, it was pretty much back to back to back, like sad and dark and tragic.

From Los Angeles Times

If put back to back, they show a decline in American society and politics that’s quite frightening.

From Los Angeles Times

There, she works on Friday evenings and on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 8pm, seeing beauty clients back to back.

From BBC

Related Words

• later