in the background
idiom
: in a position that avoids attracting attention
He was a shy man who always tried to keep/stay in the background.
Examples of in the background in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The man in white, the stillness around him, the emergency vehicles in the background: an unforgettable picture.
—
Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2025
The two were sitting next to each other and talking when cameras caught them in the background behind commentators during the broadcast.
—Caroline Blair, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Schwarzenegger shared a video of Pratt helping Lowe get changed into the bunny costume on Instagram, which later transitioned to footage of him hopping around and dispersing the eggs as children cried in the background.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The $Libra crypto-scandal will continue to lurk in the background, popping its ugly face here and there as journalists, crypto-sleuths, or official investigators manage to push the case forward.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the background
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Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2025
The two were sitting next to each other and talking when cameras caught them in the background behind commentators during the broadcast.
—Caroline Blair, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Schwarzenegger shared a video of Pratt helping Lowe get changed into the bunny costume on Instagram, which later transitioned to footage of him hopping around and dispersing the eggs as children cried in the background.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The $Libra crypto-scandal will continue to lurk in the background, popping its ugly face here and there as journalists, crypto-sleuths, or official investigators manage to push the case forward.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the background
Cite this Entry
“In the background.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20background. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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