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
The flag appeared in the background during the halftime show’s broadcast, and viewers could see its holder jump from the stage and run across the field waving it.
—
Matt Moret, New York Times, 27 June 2025
As his band plays in the background, Johnson addresses the brawl while speaking to the audience.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 24 June 2025
Is the current splendor altogether positive, or are there shadows lurking in the background?
—Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Zhou’s book is one that lurks in the background: that the Chinese Communist Party allowed a former military officer to publish an essay in an overseas paper, such as Zhou’s in the Financial Times, at such a sensitive moment.
—Oriana Skylar Mastro, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
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Matt Moret, New York Times, 27 June 2025
As his band plays in the background, Johnson addresses the brawl while speaking to the audience.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 24 June 2025
Is the current splendor altogether positive, or are there shadows lurking in the background?
—Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Zhou’s book is one that lurks in the background: that the Chinese Communist Party allowed a former military officer to publish an essay in an overseas paper, such as Zhou’s in the Financial Times, at such a sensitive moment.
—Oriana Skylar Mastro, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 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 3 Jul. 2025.
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