back up — support someone
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
To give help or show that you agree with someone, especially in an argument or difficult situation.
Say it like a native
Textbook Will you corroborate my version of events at the meeting?
Native Will you back me up in the meeting?
'Back someone up' is the everyday verb for supporting them; 'corroborate my version' is formal/legal.
Pattern: back (someone) up
In use
- My friends always back me up when I need help.relationships
- In group projects, it's important to back up your teammates so everyone feels confident.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Thanks for backing up me in there.
✓ Thanks for backing me up in there.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'back me up'.
Common collocations
back someone up— me, you up, the claim, on this
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'cover for' (which means to do someone's work for them).
Related
- back up (reverse a vehicle) — Another meaning of 'back up' is 'reverse a vehicle'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.