backgrounds

plural of background
1
as in backdrops
the physical conditions or features that form the setting against which something is viewed they got married on a mountain top with the sunset as background

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2
as in settings
the place and time in which the action for a portion of a dramatic work (as a movie) is set the background of that movie is the World War II era

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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 backgrounds The grievances were part of that – challenges that ordinary men and women of all backgrounds had faced. Robert Parkinson, The Conversation, 24 June 2026 After all, innovation can be found across the country and tapped by those with all kinds of backgrounds—not just those rooted in Silicon Valley and Wall Street. Diane Brady, Fortune, 24 June 2026 Turner said bringing together officers from different agencies and backgrounds creates opportunities to learn new approaches. Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 23 June 2026 The company’s team includes professionals with backgrounds connected to cyber investigations, intelligence and financial crime analysis. Jon Stojan june 23, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026 Different kinds of people from different backgrounds. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 23 June 2026 Below are brief production backgrounds, my tasting notes for each expression, and the BevTest Judging Panel's evaluation. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 For all travel advisors, regardless of their identities and backgrounds, the top priority is ensuring that clients will feel safe and confident during their travels. Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 June 2026 In Japan, where many Prime Video users come from traditional television backgrounds, the platform has expanded into areas such as live sports. Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backgrounds
Noun
  • The film is a sweeping romance set against one of history’s most unlikely backdrops — Germany in the immediate aftermath of WWII.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 19 June 2026
  • Set the scene The drive from the Bozeman Airport is just under one hour and tours through vast open acre terrains and peak-mountain-backdrops of the Northern Rockies.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Morgan Stanley's supply chain field research also pointed to faster commercialization, citing factory and logistics settings, as well as further rollouts in unmanned retail stores and interactive commercial services.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 24 June 2026
  • Concentrated flu outbreaks can occur in the spring and summer, but tend to be seen mainly on military bases, cruise ships and other settings where a lot of people are gathered together indoors, Monto said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • All of this, mind you, is far more riveting than the car chase scenes in Disclosure Day.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 19 June 2026
  • All of these were one takes for our friend Will here, and these were really difficult scenes.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Backgrounds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backgrounds. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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