backstory

noun

back·​story ˈbak-ˌstȯr-ē How to pronounce backstory (audio)
: a story that tells what led up to the main story or plot (as of a film)

Examples of backstory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But the conflict between Joe and Ted goes back further and is rooted in a deep loam of backstory that emerges bit by bit. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025 The Warrens said there were four spirits in the house (including a demon); the film features three (including an axe-wielding man) with a tragic backstory. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025 There was a ton of backstory in the maze for wrestling fans who follow Wyatt Sicks that largely went over the heads of everyone else. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2025 Though Cain's lore and backstory is a work of fiction — one that fans continue to dig into — it's informed by Anhedönia's own life and adolescence. Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for backstory

Word History

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backstory was in 1982

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Cite this Entry

“Backstory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backstory. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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