Meaning & use
backdated
Last updated
“backdated” is a form of “backdate”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Given a date earlier than the day it was actually made, signed, or paid.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: a backdated letter, a backdated payment. It is not usually used after 'be' in everyday speech.
Patterns
- a backdated document
- a backdated payment
- backdated to a date
The contract was backdated so it looked as if it had been signed in January.
Workers received a backdated pay rise covering the previous six months.
The bank returned the check because the date on it was backdated.
verbtransitive
Past tense and past participle of 'backdate': to put an earlier date on a document or payment.
Grammar: Takes an object: backdate a letter. The past form is 'backdated'.
Patterns
- backdate something to a date
- backdate a payment
They backdated the agreement to the first of the month.
She backdated the invoice by two weeks.
Word forms
| base form | backdate |
|---|---|
| third person singular | backdates |
| past tense | backdated |
| past participle | backdated |
| -ing form | backdating |
Common combinations
- backdated pay
- The staff finally got their backdated pay in March.
- backdated to
- The new rule was backdated to the start of the tax year.
- backdated contract
- A backdated contract can cause legal problems.
Synonyms and how they differ
- antedated
- This is a more formal word with the same meaning; 'backdated' is more common in business and everyday use.
Opposites
Word family
- backdate verb
- To put an earlier date on something.
- backdating noun
- The act of giving something an earlier date.
Commonly confused: backdated or postdated?
backdated vs postdated
Postdated means dated later than the real day; backdated means dated earlier.
Practice
The company _____ the invoice so it appeared to be from last month.
Choose one answer.
'Backdated' means given an earlier date, which fits 'appeared to be from last month'. 'Postdated' is the opposite, and 'updated' means changed to a newer version.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “backdated”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.