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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of backdrops
At the same time, the film’s backdrops are vibrant in a nearly Impressionist way.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
In many instances, the properties where authors picked up their ballpoints became backdrops for adventure or even characters themselves.
—Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Sketches are a bit punchier and backdrops more elaborate, though not in a way that undermines the Muppets’ scrappy, analog aesthetic.
—Judy Berman, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Miami Beach, Key Biscayne and Fort Lauderdale offer ceremony locations with natural drama built in—sunset skies, ocean backdrops and open horizons.
—Anton Lucanus, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Forgotten animal pens, decaying cages and stony backdrops now sit in various states of abandonment.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
After years of performative gathering, the Instagrammable backdrops and content-ready moments, people are seeking something different.
—Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
There were pancakes and balloons, along with photos of his friends and family against snowy backdrops.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
For the film’s period scenes, designers painstakingly recreated the home’s first and second floors in a studio, including backdrops that wrapped around the replica windows to reflect the exterior view of the times.
—Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
In many instances, the properties where authors picked up their ballpoints became backdrops for adventure or even characters themselves.
—Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Sketches are a bit punchier and backdrops more elaborate, though not in a way that undermines the Muppets’ scrappy, analog aesthetic.
—Judy Berman, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Miami Beach, Key Biscayne and Fort Lauderdale offer ceremony locations with natural drama built in—sunset skies, ocean backdrops and open horizons.
—Anton Lucanus, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Forgotten animal pens, decaying cages and stony backdrops now sit in various states of abandonment.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
After years of performative gathering, the Instagrammable backdrops and content-ready moments, people are seeking something different.
—Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
There were pancakes and balloons, along with photos of his friends and family against snowy backdrops.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
For the film’s period scenes, designers painstakingly recreated the home’s first and second floors in a studio, including backdrops that wrapped around the replica windows to reflect the exterior view of the times.
—Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backdrops
Noun
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The giraffe herd stays behind the scenes at the zoo as construction continues on the new complex which is slated to open early this summer.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
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Paula Pell may have spent the last decade stealing scenes in series like Girls5Eva, AP Bio and, now, The ‘Burbs, but the multihyphenate hasn’t moved on from writing.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Participants often come from various backgrounds, playing different styles of mahjong, such as Taiwanese, Filipino, Singaporean and American (commonly associated with Jewish communities), which — unlike other the styles — uses a card that is issued annually to set the winning hands for each year.—
Grace Hwang Lynch,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Maryland is a mosaic of backgrounds and cultures.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the days after the Bondi Beach massacre – allegedly committed by a father and son who had embraced Islamic State ideology – the government announced sweeping new gun laws, tougher rules on hate speech, and stronger powers for the home affairs minister to cancel visas on character grounds.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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Beyond the number of cillíní and burial sites uncovered, the practices surrounding these unconsecrated grounds reveal a complex emotional landscape marked by grief, shame, and trauma, according to the press release.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Abdulsalam Haykal, Syria's minister of communications and information technology, said the nearly $1 billion telecommunications development will take place in two stages lasting between 18 months and two years.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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Crews use part of the half hour to set up and take down stages and props.—
Catherine Messier,
The Providence Journal,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backdrops.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backdrops. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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