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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But, like Hawke, Bichir does a heroic job carrying the burden of explaining the film’s lore — an essential function in a backstory-heavy effort like this one. Katie Rife, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2025 Flashbacks fill in the backstory of how Minerva and her team perpetrated their scam. Judy Berman, Time, 19 Sep. 2025 Origins feels tired and played out — something that should never happen to a crucial maze that establishes the overarching backstory for all of Knott’s Scary Farm. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025 Making up a backstory wasn’t hard for her. Vivian Song, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 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 22 Sep. 2025.

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