as in scenes
the physical conditions or features that form the setting against which something is viewed
visitors dine at the restaurant with a dramatic stretch of the Pacific Ocean as a jaw-dropping backdrop
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Recent Examples of backdrops
Ludlam uses natural light, pristine white backdrops and medium-format film in his work, and his shots take on the personality of commercial product photography, showing off the details, utility and design of the objects themselves.
—
Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
An hour north of New York City, the Hudson Valley has turned into one of the country’s most compelling beer regions with farms, river towns, mountain backdrops, and a concentration of serious breweries that keeps growing.
—Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
The streets around Beijing’s iconic Forbidden City are often filled with brides and grooms, posing for wedding photos against auspicious red backdrops in a place that strongly reflects Chinese culture and tradition.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 14 May 2026
The pas de deux between Billy and Kris is entrancingly sexy, and the film’s love relationship to movie magic is just as romantic, from Anderson’s grand-dame costuming to the matte paintings that serve as backdrops in both the film-within-the-film and the one containing it.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
The backdrops are always drab; concrete floors and metal doors.
—Jade Chang, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
There are homages galore, as well as savvy throwback flourishes — from an extensive use of matte backdrops to, good news for TV Glow fans, extensive glimpses of the original (and, OK, fictitious) Camp Miasma — that only enhance the thornier social commentary.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
For McQuoid, that appears to mean making a film devoid of color, shooting the incoherent fight sequences against murky backdrops, and treating the origin story of secondary protagonist Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) with the solemnity of a biblical reading.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 6 May 2026
In addition to the Mother’s Day themed photo backdrops, there will be stuff to buy from local artisans and other vendors and special foods, including floral arrangements, candles, beauty products, jewelry and more.
—Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
An hour north of New York City, the Hudson Valley has turned into one of the country’s most compelling beer regions with farms, river towns, mountain backdrops, and a concentration of serious breweries that keeps growing.
—Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
The streets around Beijing’s iconic Forbidden City are often filled with brides and grooms, posing for wedding photos against auspicious red backdrops in a place that strongly reflects Chinese culture and tradition.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 14 May 2026
The pas de deux between Billy and Kris is entrancingly sexy, and the film’s love relationship to movie magic is just as romantic, from Anderson’s grand-dame costuming to the matte paintings that serve as backdrops in both the film-within-the-film and the one containing it.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
The backdrops are always drab; concrete floors and metal doors.
—Jade Chang, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
There are homages galore, as well as savvy throwback flourishes — from an extensive use of matte backdrops to, good news for TV Glow fans, extensive glimpses of the original (and, OK, fictitious) Camp Miasma — that only enhance the thornier social commentary.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
For McQuoid, that appears to mean making a film devoid of color, shooting the incoherent fight sequences against murky backdrops, and treating the origin story of secondary protagonist Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) with the solemnity of a biblical reading.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 6 May 2026
In addition to the Mother’s Day themed photo backdrops, there will be stuff to buy from local artisans and other vendors and special foods, including floral arrangements, candles, beauty products, jewelry and more.
—Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backdrops
Noun
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Vibrant, large-scale paintings depicting animal and jungle scenes throughout the hotel are from the original owner’s collection, all from Haiti.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
Serving refreshments and delivering safety briefings may be the most visible parts of the job, but behind the scenes, flight crews are constantly managing far more complex responsibilities.—
Meena Thiruvengadam,
Travel + Leisure,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Join us for our third CNBC Pro LIVE, where investors of all backgrounds - from financial professionals to everyday individuals - come together to cut through the noise and gain actionable strategies for smarter, more disciplined investing.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
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Frame Assist WayShot’s frame assist technology addresses compositional friction like awkward headroom, cluttered backgrounds, and uneven framing.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Here, the contrast of sea and stone creates some of the most striking coastal sceneries in the Mediterranean.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In recent years, even some advocates of free trade have come around to the idea that certain tariffs can be justified on strategic and national-security grounds, especially when working with an avowedly mercantilist country like China.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Russia’s largest airport — Moscow’s Sheremetyevo — reported that drone debris had fallen on its grounds without causing damage or affecting flights.—
Samya Kullab,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
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The bright spots Saturday, at least in the early stages, was the play of the Evans defense, new quarterback Will Jackson and transfer running backs O’Ryan Hartfield, from Ocoee, and Davion Williams, from Poinciana.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2026
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Van Dyk shows their arrival from the perspective of the local residents, skillfully conveying the atmosphere particular to the early stages of an occupation.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backdrops.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backdrops. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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