backstory

noun

back·​story ˈbak-ˌstȯr-ē How to pronounce backstory (audio)
: 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
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Plus, there’s a backstory in our relationship that nobody really knows. Christopher Claxton, Billboard, 14 Nov. 2025 Each episode introduces new characters and gives us a little bit of their backstory, like a member of Japan’s indigenous ethnic group, the Anui, whose bow-and-arrow ability is an act of faith toward his gods. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025 Created by Jean-Baptiste Delafon and directed by Jessica Palud, the six-episode drama not only makes Merteuil its protagonist, but also supplies backstory that recasts her as less a monster than a wounded woman fighting for the same freedom men enjoy. Judy Berman, Time, 14 Nov. 2025 Getting the backstory of how the sample was obtained and then establishing the science in the first episode were crucial to establishing credibility, says Chambers. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for backstory

Word History

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backstory was in 1982

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Cite this Entry

“Backstory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backstory. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.

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