backdrop
noun
back·drop
ˈbak-ˌdräp 
1
: a painted cloth hung across the rear of a stage
2
backdrop
transitive verb
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
And that was all happening against the backdrop of Swift’s biggest album cycle and tour ever.
—
Justin Curto, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
Set against the backdrop of France’s public health crisis and shortage of personnel, the film will show patients from a psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of Paris taking charge of their own ward.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024
Soon smaller lamps filled the darkness behind the band on the screen — all underneath stars and a crescent-moon backdrop.
—John Lonsdale, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2024
Indeed, the university set the scene for the millennial love story Normal People, where Connell and Marianne’s fraught romance was set against the backdrop of their time studying English literature and history and politics, respectively.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 19 Apr. 2024
More Olympics coverage Power move: Break-dancing busts into the Olympics for the first time
Take a tour: Take a tour: Iconic venues will provide a distinctly French backdrop at the Olympics
Photos: See how Paris has evolved from the 1924 Summer Olympics to today
Quiz: Swimming.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
The annual meeting has served as the backdrop to many H.I.V. milestones, including the electric moment in 1996 when researchers showed that a combination of drugs could suppress the virus.
—Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
The walls behind the frescoes are covered in a backdrop of black paint, likely to prevent smoke and soot stains from showing.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024
Tensions in the region are heightened after the strike on Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus, which killed seven officials including a top IRGC commander, and the seizure comes against the backdrop of the conflict in Gaza.
—Adam Pourahmadi, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024
Justin Curto, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
Set against the backdrop of France’s public health crisis and shortage of personnel, the film will show patients from a psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of Paris taking charge of their own ward.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024
Soon smaller lamps filled the darkness behind the band on the screen — all underneath stars and a crescent-moon backdrop.
—John Lonsdale, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2024
Indeed, the university set the scene for the millennial love story Normal People, where Connell and Marianne’s fraught romance was set against the backdrop of their time studying English literature and history and politics, respectively.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 19 Apr. 2024
More Olympics coverage Power move: Break-dancing busts into the Olympics for the first time
Take a tour: Take a tour: Iconic venues will provide a distinctly French backdrop at the Olympics
Photos: See how Paris has evolved from the 1924 Summer Olympics to today
Quiz: Swimming.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
The annual meeting has served as the backdrop to many H.I.V. milestones, including the electric moment in 1996 when researchers showed that a combination of drugs could suppress the virus.
—Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
The walls behind the frescoes are covered in a backdrop of black paint, likely to prevent smoke and soot stains from showing.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024
Tensions in the region are heightened after the strike on Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus, which killed seven officials including a top IRGC commander, and the seizure comes against the backdrop of the conflict in Gaza.
—Adam Pourahmadi, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backdrop.' 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 backdrop
Cite this Entry
“Backdrop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backdrop. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backdrop
noun
back·drop
ˈbak-ˌdräp
1
: a painted cloth hung across the rear of a stage
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