- (transitive) to make effective from an earlier date
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
back•date /ˈbækˌdeɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [ ~ + obj ], -dat•ed, -dat•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to put a date earlier than the actual date on;
predate.
back•date
(bak′dāt′),USA pronunciation v.t., -dat•ed, -dat•ing.
- to date earlier than the actual date;
predate;
antedate:Backdate the letter so he'll think I wrote it last week.
- back2 + date1 1945–50, American.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
backdate /ˌbækˈdeɪt/ vb