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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 This performance decline was much steeper among students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Supreet Kaur, Scientific American, 10 June 2026 And the restaurant itself is plenty Instagram-friendly, with neon signs, fun backgrounds and an all-around good vibe. Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026 That said, Hines also noted the Artemis 3 crew includes a variety of backgrounds, other than gender. Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 10 June 2026 The two have vastly different backgrounds and would likely take the panel in different directions politically. David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2026 The four men who make up the Artemis III crew have a range of backgrounds, with a heavy emphasis on engineering and test pilot experience. Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 9 June 2026 Their connection – and shared mysterious backgrounds – is divulged over the course of the movie, and Daniel and Margaret meet up and work together as complementary components for a common goal. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 June 2026 For this spaceflight into low-Earth orbit, which will see the Orion spacecraft rendezvous and dock with lunar lander prototypes, NASA chose an experienced, all-male crew with military backgrounds. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026 However, communicating those decisions with players from different linguistic backgrounds often proved challenging. Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backgrounds
Noun
  • Along the walls hang two replicas of backdrops his legendary father, Bob Marley, used on tour in the 1970s.
    Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 17 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
  • But different care settings come with different price tags.
    Anthem Blue Cross California, Daily News, 10 June 2026
  • He’s known for using these surreal settings and absurdist ideas to make genuine commentary.
    Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • In 2018, Kushner’s relationship with Videgaray was a crucial palliative, as the two men worked to resolve disputes behind the scenes.
    Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2025
  • What the extensions were doing behind the scenes Once activated, the extensions injected tracking code into real links to earn revenue from user purchases.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Backgrounds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backgrounds. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

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