backboard
noun
back·board
ˈbak-ˌbȯrd 
1
: a board placed at or serving as the back of something
especially
: a rounded or rectangular board behind the basket on a basketball court which serves to keep missed shots from going out-of-bounds and from which the ball can be made to rebound into the basket
2
: a stiff board on which an injured person and especially one with neck or spinal injuries is placed and immobilized in order to prevent further injury during transport
Examples of backboard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To be able to take the ball off the defensive backboard and handle and make a play on the other end is very impressive.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 May 2024
Green even stymied Dallas’ final play in the four-point Warriors win, pinning Kyrie Irving in the corner as the final seconds ticked away, leaving the Mavs guard to hit the side of the backboard on the final shot of the game.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backboard 
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 May 2024
Green even stymied Dallas’ final play in the four-point Warriors win, pinning Kyrie Irving in the corner as the final seconds ticked away, leaving the Mavs guard to hit the side of the backboard on the final shot of the game.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backboard
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backboard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Backboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backboard. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backboard
noun
back·board
ˈbak-ˌbōrd
-ˌbȯrd
: a board placed at the back or serving as a back
especially
: a rounded or rectangular board behind the basket on a basketball court
Medical Definition
backboard
noun
back·board
-ˌbȯrd
: a stiff board on which an injured person and especially one with neck or spinal injuries is placed and immobilized in order to prevent further injury during transport
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