1 B2 neutral
Of a building or plot of land: to have its rear side facing or directly adjacent to a particular place.
"The cottage backs on to a beautiful wooded area, giving the garden a very private feel."
inseparable
back on to
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
Of a building or property: to have its back (rear) facing or adjacent to something.
In plain English
When the back of a house or building faces or touches something, like a park or a road.
What does "back on to" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To have one's back turned on to (something).
Actually means
When the back of a house or building faces or touches something, like a park or a road.
Usage tip
Used almost exclusively for real estate and property descriptions. More common in British English. Often used interchangeably with 'back onto'. Common in property listings and descriptions.
Words that pair with "back on to"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
garden park river road fields railway line
How to conjugate "back on to"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
back on to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
backs on to
he/she/it
Past simple
backed on to
yesterday
Past participle
backed on to
have + pp
-ing form
backing on to
continuous
Hear "back on to" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "back on to" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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