backdrop

noun

back·​drop ˈbak-ˌdräp How to pronounce backdrop (audio)
Synonyms of backdrop
1
: a painted cloth hung across the rear of a stage
2
: background
backdrop transitive verb

Synonyms of backdrop

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Examples of backdrop in a Sentence

The mountains provided a perfect backdrop for the wedding photos. The novel unfolds against a backdrop of war. The city provides the backdrop for the love story.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Barcelona provides the perfect backdrop to attract younger audiences from around the world. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 30 June 2026 Against that backdrop, some say the ships are offering a surprising sense of connection. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026 But by the time the bicentennial rolled around, my life had played out against the backdrop of civil unrest and the Vietnam War, both spilling from our black-and-white television almost nightly. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 Meanwhile, Oregon and Washington state shared an empty pavilion, with nothing but backdrops that showed beavers and the ocean or Amazon packages and the ocean, respectively. — Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for backdrop

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of backdrop was in 1866

Rhymes for backdrop

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Browse Nearby Words

back draft
backdrop
back East
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Cite this Entry

“Backdrop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backdrop. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

backdrop

noun
back·​drop ˈbak-ˌdräp How to pronounce backdrop (audio)
1
: a painted cloth hung across the rear of a stage
2
: background sense 1, 3a

More from Merriam-Webster on backdrop

Nglish: Translation of backdrop for Spanish Speakers

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