in the background
idiom
: in a position that avoids attracting attention
He was a shy man who always tried to keep/stay in the background.
Examples of in the background in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fed rate cuts can lead to a weaker dollar, but lurking in the background are concerns about the central bank losing its independence from political agendas.
—
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
Still, Winter remains always in the background.
—Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
Screaming could be heard in the background.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 1 Jan. 2026
Videos posted online show players hilariously attempting to say words that rhyme on beat to the music playing in the background.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the background
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John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
Still, Winter remains always in the background.
—Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
Screaming could be heard in the background.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 1 Jan. 2026
Videos posted online show players hilariously attempting to say words that rhyme on beat to the music playing in the background.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the background
Cite this Entry
“In the background.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20background. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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