backstage

1 of 2

adjective

back·​stage ˈbak-ˌstāj 

1

: of, relating to, or occurring in the area behind the stage and especially in the dressing rooms

2

: of or relating to the private lives of theater people

3

: of or relating to the inner working or operation (as of an organization)

backstage

2 of 2

adverb

back·​stage ˈbak-ˈstāj 

1

: in or to a backstage area

2

: in private : secretly

Synonyms

Adverb

• confidentially
• in camera
• intimately
• privately
• secretly

Examples of backstage in a Sentence

Adverb

After the show, we went backstage to meet the band.

some of the most important decisions were made backstage, and only presented to the full committee afterward

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Obfuscation, workarounds, and overspends would no longer be backstage levers for the big boys to pull. —Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 24 Apr. 2024

One day before the long-running talk show launches the 2024 edition of its annual, fan-favorite Halloween episodes, cohost Kelly Ripa revealed that the backstage scene surrounding the yearly installment is a playfully chaotic one. —Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2024

Adverb

Going backstage, the book shows the creation and evolution of a couture collection. —Wwd Staff, WWD, 10 Jan. 2025

The audience is taken backstage with these men, capturing their humanity in a way that challenges the dehumanizing portrayals of currently and formerly incarcerated individuals—and Black and brown men, more specifically—that are too often normalized in film and other mediums. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing backstage

• backstage pass

Kids Definition

backstage

adverb or adjective

back·​stage

ˈbak-ˈstāj

: in or to an area behind the stage of a theater