backdrop

noun

back·​drop ˈbak-ˌdräp How to pronounce backdrop (audio)
Synonyms of backdrop
1
: a painted cloth hung across the rear of a stage
2
: background
backdrop transitive verb

Synonyms of backdrop

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Examples of backdrop in a Sentence

The mountains provided a perfect backdrop for the wedding photos. The novel unfolds against a backdrop of war. The city provides the backdrop for the love story.
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Against that backdrop, the royal visit signals that Spain is shedding its longstanding reluctance to send its monarchs to the exclaves, Amirah-Fernández said. — Joseph Wilson, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026 But the security backdrop in the Strait of Hormuz is darkening even as rates fall. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026 Against this backdrop, a rare yield inversion has emerged between select corporate bonds and French sovereign debt. — CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 The next email had a slick poster promoting the Zoom event, with the book cover as the backdrop and blurbs from the Economist and other publications. — Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for backdrop

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of backdrop was in 1866

Rhymes for backdrop

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Browse Nearby Words

back draft
backdrop
back East
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Cite this Entry

“Backdrop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backdrop. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

backdrop

noun
back·​drop ˈbak-ˌdräp How to pronounce backdrop (audio)
1
: a painted cloth hung across the rear of a stage
2
: background sense 1, 3a
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