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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Recent Examples of backgrounds
Watercraft enthusiasts of all backgrounds can browse a selection of 600 boats from 90 manufacturers at the event March 27-29.
—
Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Cooper’s co-star Erin Doherty also presented the judges’ award to Adolescence producers Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters, and Matriarch Productions, gaining recognition for providing a platform for underrepresented voices — from all cultural backgrounds and social classes — to tell their story.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
Choose simple or uncluttered backgrounds so the focus remains on you and your look.
—Vogue, 25 Mar. 2026
Republicans vow to appeal Arkansas ruling Last year, seven Arkansas families of various religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s new law requiring all public elementary and secondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library.
—Sara Cline, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
The new directive, part of a broader effort to increase scrutiny of research done with foreign partners, asks workers in the agency’s research arm to use Google to check the backgrounds of all foreign nationals collaborating with its scientists.
—Lisa Song, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Join us for our third CNBC Pro LIVE, where investors of all backgrounds - from financial professionals to everyday individuals - come together to cut through the noise and gain actionable strategies for smarter, more disciplined investing.
—Sarah Min,darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
And so many of these actors come from different acting and performance backgrounds.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2026
While the store imports its goods from Pakistan and sells styles traditional to South Asia, Malik said his customers come from a variety of backgrounds, including from Middle Eastern and Western countries and traditions.
—Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Cooper’s co-star Erin Doherty also presented the judges’ award to Adolescence producers Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters, and Matriarch Productions, gaining recognition for providing a platform for underrepresented voices — from all cultural backgrounds and social classes — to tell their story.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
Choose simple or uncluttered backgrounds so the focus remains on you and your look.
—Vogue, 25 Mar. 2026
Republicans vow to appeal Arkansas ruling Last year, seven Arkansas families of various religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s new law requiring all public elementary and secondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library.
—Sara Cline, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
The new directive, part of a broader effort to increase scrutiny of research done with foreign partners, asks workers in the agency’s research arm to use Google to check the backgrounds of all foreign nationals collaborating with its scientists.
—Lisa Song, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Join us for our third CNBC Pro LIVE, where investors of all backgrounds - from financial professionals to everyday individuals - come together to cut through the noise and gain actionable strategies for smarter, more disciplined investing.
—Sarah Min,darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
And so many of these actors come from different acting and performance backgrounds.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2026
While the store imports its goods from Pakistan and sells styles traditional to South Asia, Malik said his customers come from a variety of backgrounds, including from Middle Eastern and Western countries and traditions.
—Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backgrounds
Noun
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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
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Every scene plays out as the most generic version of itself — unfolding along preset story beats and against plain desert backdrops rather than growing organically from specific individuals in a specific setting.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That also means that either reverting BIOS settings or performing an OS reset is possible.—
John Burek,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
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The term later moved into therapy settings, as a way to describe the tactics used by domestic abusers against their victims.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Behind the scenes, work toward resolving the standoff intensified Friday as White House border czar Tom Homan was set to meet for the second consecutive day with a bipartisan group of senators.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
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With plenty of pristine tropical beaches, lush landscapes, beautiful ancient ruins, and vibrant cultural scenes, there is so much to discover and explore within Southeast Asia.—
Jasmine Ting,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backgrounds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backgrounds. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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