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
After a 23-43 season in his first season, Jackson leads the Warriors to back-to-back playoff appearances with 47 and 51 wins but was fired amid a backdrop of friction with management (including team advisor Jerry West) and fostering a poor work environment.
—
Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 10 May 2026
The formerly high-end shopping destination, featured as a backdrop for a scene in a 1985 John Hughes movie, has more recently devolved into desolation.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
From one angle, a large tree aloe and stands of Sticks on Fire are the backdrop for a porpoise seemingly about to leap into the air from a sea of sedums.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Since ending 14 years of Conservative rule roiled by austerity and the Covid-19 pandemic, Labour has struggled to ease the cost of living and jump-start a sluggish economy against the tough economic backdrop of war in Ukraine and, more recently, Iran.
—CBS News, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for backdrop
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Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 10 May 2026
The formerly high-end shopping destination, featured as a backdrop for a scene in a 1985 John Hughes movie, has more recently devolved into desolation.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
From one angle, a large tree aloe and stands of Sticks on Fire are the backdrop for a porpoise seemingly about to leap into the air from a sea of sedums.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Since ending 14 years of Conservative rule roiled by austerity and the Covid-19 pandemic, Labour has struggled to ease the cost of living and jump-start a sluggish economy against the tough economic backdrop of war in Ukraine and, more recently, Iran.
—CBS News, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for backdrop
Cite this Entry
“Backdrop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backdrop. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backdrop
noun
back·drop
ˈbak-ˌdräp
1
: a painted cloth hung across the rear of a stage
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