in the background

phrase

: 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 other image shows him in profile against the African savannah, with giraffes and zebras visible in the background. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026

An architectural historian who specializes in 19th-century Turkish interiors, Sedef Piker is a supporting character on the stream — occasionally popping up in the background with some mezze or motherly wisdom. — Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026

The man in the suit who lumbered around in the background of their lives. — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026

To accentuate the connection to cinema, little tubs of popcorn were handed out upon arrival—adding to the theatrical effect of the mountains in the background blurring with the mountains on the screen as darkness descended. — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for in the background

• abound
• aground
• around
• astound
• campground
• clothbound
• confound
• earthbound
• eastbound
• expound
• fairground
• foreground