background music

noun

: music to accompany something (such as a public event, a movie, or a television show)

the background music playing during the procession

Examples of background music in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The company abandoned the name Muzak in 2013, by which time most of us had long stopped noticing the omnipresence of background music in our daily lives. — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

While the official soundtrack was of course a major lift, Romer’s diegetic background music was quite the undertaking as well. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026

This was in the era of mail-order CD clubs, when radio stations would pay $100 a month for one or two CDs full of background music to produce ads or stings. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026

Guests who want to study every piece certainly can, but the collection also works as vibey background music, adding to the slightly quirky but still polished energy. — Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 11 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

background music

noun

: music played to go along with and add to the story or mood of a movie or radio or television show