backyard
4 synonyms for backyard, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An outdoor area behind a house, often used for gardens, play, or relaxing.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
back garden
How to use backyard
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
in my own backyard
backyard barbecue
backyard garden
Etymology
From back + yard, meaning the yard situated behind a house rather than in front.
Full origin of backyard →Frequently asked questions
What does “backyard” mean?
The word “backyard” means an outdoor area behind a house, often used for gardens, play, or relaxing. In plain terms, the outdoor space behind a home, or more broadly, someone's immediate territory or area of concern.
How do you pronounce “backyard”?
“Backyard” is pronounced bak-YAHD (/bækˈjɑːd/ in IPA).
How do you use “backyard” in a sentence?
Here is “backyard” used in a sentence: “The kids spent the whole summer playing in the backyard.”
What part of speech is “backyard”?
“Backyard” is a noun.
Is “backyard” a common word?
“Backyard” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “backyard” have?
“Backyard” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an outdoor area behind a house, often used for gardens, play, or relaxing.
What is the difference between a backyard and a garden?
In American English, a backyard is the outdoor area behind a house, whether paved, grassed, or planted, while British English usually calls that same private space the "garden." Americans tend to reserve "garden" for a planted area, so an American backyard may contain a garden.
Is "backyard" one word or two?
As a noun meaning the area behind a house, it is usually written as one word, "backyard." The two-word form "back yard" also appears, but the single word is the more common modern spelling in American English.
What is the figurative meaning of "backyard"?
Beyond the space behind a house, "backyard" can mean a person's immediate local area or a country's sphere of influence, as in "instability in the region is seen as a threat in America's backyard." This sense stresses closeness and a sense of territory.
