as in scenes
the physical conditions or features that form the setting against which something is viewed
visitors dine at the restaurant with a dramatic stretch of the Pacific Ocean as a jaw-dropping backdrop
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of backdrops
The Borromean Islands While seascapes make for spectacular backdrops, so do Italy’s lakes.
—
Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2026
The process is quick and unremarkable to anyone familiar with the studio-shoot culture of the city, where the backdrops change but the conventions stay the same.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
Across all three nights, attendees could grab animal towel creations that doubled as blankets for the shows, cool down with chocolate and vanilla soft serve ice cream, get airbrush tattoos, and snap photos at colorful backdrops for a chance to score VIP pit upgrades.
—Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2026
Norway, Sweden, and Finland provide the iconic backdrops for cross-country skiing, along with a scattering of historic venues in Russia and Central Europe.
—Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2026
The roadsides are often awash in blue, providing picturesque backdrops for impromptu photo shoots.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
While the film’s production struggles have come under scrutiny, the trailer gives a taster of the Saudi Arabia’s stunning backdrops as well as its cinema ambitions.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Other images similarly mix the romantic and the mundane, with glamorous students in front of kitschy backdrops of misty woodlands or positioned between towering candelabras.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Against such backdrops, the Fed would normally start setting the stage for easier monetary policy.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2026
The process is quick and unremarkable to anyone familiar with the studio-shoot culture of the city, where the backdrops change but the conventions stay the same.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
Across all three nights, attendees could grab animal towel creations that doubled as blankets for the shows, cool down with chocolate and vanilla soft serve ice cream, get airbrush tattoos, and snap photos at colorful backdrops for a chance to score VIP pit upgrades.
—Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2026
Norway, Sweden, and Finland provide the iconic backdrops for cross-country skiing, along with a scattering of historic venues in Russia and Central Europe.
—Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2026
The roadsides are often awash in blue, providing picturesque backdrops for impromptu photo shoots.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
While the film’s production struggles have come under scrutiny, the trailer gives a taster of the Saudi Arabia’s stunning backdrops as well as its cinema ambitions.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Other images similarly mix the romantic and the mundane, with glamorous students in front of kitschy backdrops of misty woodlands or positioned between towering candelabras.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Against such backdrops, the Fed would normally start setting the stage for easier monetary policy.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backdrops
Noun
-
State officials say federal agents first agreed to work with them at the scenes of the Good and Sosa-Celis shootings, then federal officials later took control of the evidence.—
Meg Anderson,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Dacre Montgomery plays Arthur, a serial killer who is re-creating scenes from the original Faces of Death, but now with real murder.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The measure will establish a permanent Interfaith Advisory Commission to provide advice, support dialogue and promote education related to different religious backgrounds and institutions.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
What to expect Attendees can expect a range of local chefs and vendors serving traditional fish plates alongside dishes influenced by a variety of cultural backgrounds.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Here, the contrast of sea and stone creates some of the most striking coastal sceneries in the Mediterranean.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The parade is part of a three-day New Year celebration set in the Lanexang Village, a Laotian neighborhood near New Iberia with hundreds of families near the Buddhist temple grounds of Wat Thammarattanaram.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The parade is part of a three-day New Year celebration set in the Lanxang Village, a Laotian neighborhood near New Iberia with hundreds of families, and near the Buddhist temple grounds of Wat Thammarattanaram.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
During the early stages of the eclipse, the astronauts had to don special glasses (much like the ones worn by people on Earth to view solar eclipses) to protect their eyes until the sun’s light was fully blocked by the moon.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Born in London on May 22, 1938, Nolan built his foundation in theater, training at the Drama Centre London before launching a career that would take him across some of Britain’s most respected stages.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backdrops.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backdrops. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
