backgrounds

plural of background
1
as in backdrops
the physical conditions or features that form the setting against which something is viewed they got married on a mountain top with the sunset as background

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in settings
the place and time in which the action for a portion of a dramatic work (as a movie) is set the background of that movie is the World War II era

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of backgrounds However, that isn’t the case, suggesting that there is a gender bias across all industries and backgrounds. Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 This lack of representation reflects a broader trend in the publishing industry, which has historically favored voices from predominantly White male backgrounds. Bridgette Bartlett, Essence, 16 Sep. 2025 Officials said colleges should use their own resources to recruit high school students from underrepresented backgrounds, rather than relying on federal funding to do so. Silas Allen september 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2025 But Harbaugh and Hortiz, given their backgrounds, likely viewed Alt as an easy choice of all the non-QBs. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025 Herzl and many other Zionist luminaries came from secular backgrounds, but the movement also included more observant Jews. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025 One recent Sunday evening, about 200 filled a Cincinnati church where preachers from several faith backgrounds urged them to demand his freedom. Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025 The bill mandates the FAA enact 24 recommendations from an aviation rule-making committee within two years, forcing the agency to address a backlog of pilot medical certifications with special exceptions as well as hire FAA physicians with mental health backgrounds. Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025 As in past years, our entries spanned the incredible range of backgrounds and experiences of young people in the United States. Steve Drummond, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backgrounds
Noun
  • Outdoor activities are plentiful and include hiking trails with idyllic backdrops, parks, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, and family-friendly farms and farmers markets.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025
  • At the competition, attendees could walk inside the three-sided green screen booth and explore different photo backdrops.
    Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Toward commercial use Kepler positions the latest gait upgrade as expanding K2’s applicability in commercial and industrial settings.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025
  • As a result, the onstage settings consist of a few physical set pieces backed up by vivid and realistic-looking images on the screens.
    David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Similar scenes play out countless times a day on transit systems in cities across the country – where riders go about their routines even as problems like homelessness, untreated mental illness and unpredictable assaults chip away at an already fragile sense of security in public transportation.
    Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
  • He’s known as a Yoda-like figure behind the scenes of Michigan football, advising both Moore and Jim Harbaugh.
    Austin Meek, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Backgrounds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backgrounds. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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