backgrounds

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 That debate contrasts traditional conservative values – including protecting the unborn and preserving the nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage – against liberal values that embrace a society made up of people of different religions and backgrounds. — Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026 The backgrounds are sparse and artifical, with generous bloomed lighting and mist applied to seemingly random places. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026 In Mexico, a partnership with By Invitation Only paired acting students with casting directors and agents, with scholarships going to participants from low-income backgrounds. — Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Yet, cruelty is the point for the GOP, no matter their own family backgrounds. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026 Both prosecutors and defense attorneys are using a motion for a new trial hearing to expose the violent backgrounds of both Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf. — J.d. Miles, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 Scholarships were also provided to students from low-income backgrounds. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026 The company highlights the median annual income of its members — $32,500 — and their working-class backgrounds, billing its model as a way for tenants to gain financial and personal stability. — Diamy Wang august 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2026 Far too many candidates think AI can solve an office’s hardest problems, and the certitude among candidates with tech backgrounds is off the charts. — Max Taves, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backgrounds
  1. backdrops
  2. settings
  3. scenes
Noun
  • Shot on location in both Indonesia and Italy, the production draws on several languages and cultural backdrops.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In the first season, other backdrops for the show included a Charlotte bar and a house on Lake Norman.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of backdrops
Noun
  • Gemini Arrives Inside Google Classroom Gemini is now available inside Google Classroom to students of all ages, subject to school administrator settings.
    — Dan Fitzpatrick, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Material profiles, printer settings, wash cycles, and curing profiles all work together automatically.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of settings
Noun
  • The music department, as well as Courcol’s lively directing and writing, must be commended for scenes of the brass ensemble playing and rehearsing, in a constantly dynamic interaction with dialogue.
    — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The region is made up of various villages and hamlets, including Port Carling (where scenes from the show were filmed at locations like Mortimer’s Point Marina).
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of scenes

Browse Nearby Words

background
backgrounds
backhand
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Cite this Entry

“Backgrounds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backgrounds. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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