backdrop

noun

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

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.
Against the backdrop of the biggest two-day stock market drop since 2022, Amazon sure looks like a loser. Phoebe Liu, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 Ghosts of Georgia’s Past: At Gagosian, the precociously successful Tyler Mitchell evokes images of slavery against the backdrop of his native landscape. Hilarie M. Sheets, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025 The play tells the story of Ernaux’s life set against the backdrop of world events, beginning with her childhood in the nineteen-forties and ending in the mid-two-thousands. Anna Russell, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025 The Thursday decision was taken against the backdrop of broader market tumult triggered by sweeping tariffs on key trade partners unveiled on Wednesday by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been simultaneously championing higher U.S. oil output. Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backdrop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backdrop. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on backdrop

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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