backstory

noun

back·​story ˈbak-ˌstȯr-ē How to pronounce backstory (audio)
: a story that tells what led up to the main story or plot (as of a film)

Examples of backstory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The new backstory between Peter (Alexander Molony) and Hook (Jude Law) represents the movie’s incomplete imagination, gesturing at an expansion of its source material without actually fleshing out those ideas. Staff Author, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2025 Each character’s lore comes with a backstory that adds chapters with each revelation. Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 20 Mar. 2025 The new film digs into that a bit with a backstory that begins with kid Snow and her parents in a musical number with pies and lots of dancing before things turn bleak. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025 The woman had detailed the backstory in her post, explaining that her sister had been in a relationship with the man for three years. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for backstory

Word History

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backstory was in 1982

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Cite this Entry

“Backstory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backstory. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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