backcomb

IPA/ˈbækkəʊm/
IPA/ˈbækkəʊm/

backcomb — verb

  • backcombpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • backcombshe / she / it
  • backcombedpast simple
  • backcombing-ing form

1. to push a comb from the ends of your hair toward the roots, so that the hair bec

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to push a comb from the ends of your hair toward the roots, so that the hair becomes fuller and thicker in appearance

Example

Mei backcombed her hair to add more volume before the party.

backcombed her hair

The hairdresser backcombed Mandla's thick curls to create a dramatic up-do for the wedding.

backcombed Mandla's thick curls

Common collocations
  • backcomb + hair / fringe / curls / bangs
  • backcomb + for volume / height / texture
  • backcomb + into a beehive / bouffant / up-do
  • backcomb + section by section / at the crown / at the roots
Synonyms
  • tease

    standard American English equivalent; can imply a gentler technique than backcomb

  • rat

    dated American English slang for teasing hair; less common today

Grammar Patterns

backcomb + noun phrase (hair / fringe / curls)

passive: be backcombed

Usage Note

Most common in British English; American English more often uses 'tease'. Always transitive — the direct object is the hair or a section of it. Frequently found in passive constructions describing a salon process.

Common Mistakes

She backcombed her hair to make it longer.
She backcombed her hair to make it look thicker.
backcombing adds volume and fullness, not length.
The stylist backcombed.
The stylist backcombed her fringe.
backcomb always needs a direct object.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Backcomb and tease both describe combing hair toward the roots to create volume. Backcomb is the standard term in British English and is generally used for a deliberate, section-by-section method common in formal hairstyling (e.g., 'The stylist backcombed each section of the bridal up-do'). Tease is the more frequent term in American English and often refers to a gentler, quicker technique done at home (e.g., 'She teased her crown for a casual bump'). Rat is an older American slang verb rarely heard today outside vintage hairstyling guides. Backbrush is a much less common synonym, mainly used in professional salon contexts.

teaserat ↗backbrush

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • section by section
  • at the crown
  • at the roots

Prepositions

Etymology

English

Formed in early 20th-century English from the prefix back- ('in the reverse direction') and the verb comb ('to arrange or tidy hair with a toothed implement'). The term describes the action of combing hair backward from the ends toward the scalp to create fullness.