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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.
However, that’s where her backstory diverges from the many comics who prepare their whole lives for an opportunity like SNL. Sam Reed, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2025 Gao and Kersenbrock fell 4-6, 7-5, 2-6 against Alena Koltsova and Giana Mucci but celebrated their backstory and the achievement of becoming the first Santa Margarita girls — singles or doubles — to reach the individual finals. Dan Albano, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025 Hico, Texas, is an intriguing town with a colorful backstory. Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2025 Mosaku and Jordan communicate with just their physicality, telling you volumes of backstory without fuss from the script. Joe Reid, Vulture, 1 Dec. 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 8 Dec. 2025.

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