backstory

noun

back·​story ˈbak-ˌstȯr-ē 

: 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

Then with talking to Lucy Forbes, as well as Gina Mingacci, who is an executive producer on the show, and really trying to get the characters backstory and their arc. — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

The backstory Casa Gangotena sits on the historic Plaza de San Francisco. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026

It’s narrated by a gay man, for one, and Holly’s backstory in the book is darker and more complex. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 9 July 2026

As fans may already know, these two have a great backstory, meeting as kids growing up in the same town of Rosario, about 130 miles southeast of Buenos Aires. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for backstory

• aurore
• forbore
• outlawry
• pylori
• savoury
• signori
• signory
• vainglory
• accusatory
• admonitory
• ambulatory
• amendatory