English Reference
Noun

backer

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈbækɝ/ UK /bˈækɐ/ back·er UK spelling backers

n.a person or organization that gives money or support to a project, business, or candidate.

n.a person or entity that provides financial or moral support to a cause, enterprise, or individual.


SIMPLE

The project needs a new backer to continue.

CONTEXTUAL

The startup secured a major backer who provided the capital needed for international expansion.

COMPLEX

Without the sustained commitment of its primary backer, the charitable foundation would have been unable to weather the recent economic downturn.

Among those she named was British billionaire Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based businessman, who is one of Reform's biggest backers.

BBC News· 3 Sept 2026

He is loyal to Badenoch and was one of her first backers for leader in 2024.

The Guardian· 31 Aug 2026

* As a German (Bäcker) and occasionally Danish surname, variant of Becker. Compare also Baecker. * As a Dutch and occasionally Norwegian surname, variant of Bakker. Compare also DeBacker. * As an English surname, variant of Baker.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin no -
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated