in the background
idiom
: in a position that avoids attracting attention
He was a shy man who always tried to keep/stay in the background.
Examples of in the background in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Khloé pouted for the selfie at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, while Chicago and True pulled funny faces and Kris smiled in the background while wearing a furry jacket.
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Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024
Popular on Variety All of this works like a charm, but as the film goes on, it’s slowly subsumed by a larger tale in the background, unfolding in the form of oblique 1950s flashbacks and opaque references to decades-old blood feuds.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for in the background 
Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024
Popular on Variety All of this works like a charm, but as the film goes on, it’s slowly subsumed by a larger tale in the background, unfolding in the form of oblique 1950s flashbacks and opaque references to decades-old blood feuds.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for in the background
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'in the background.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near in the background
Cite this Entry
“In the background.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20background. Accessed 2 Jun. 2024.
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