scenery

American  

[see-nuh-ree] / ˈsi nə ri /

noun

1. the general appearance of a place; the aggregate of features that give character to a landscape.

   Synonyms:

   view, terrain

2. hangings, draperies, structures, etc., used on a stage to represent a locale or furnish decorative background.

---

idioms

1. chew the scenery, to act melodramatically; overact.

scenery British  

/ ˈsiːnərɪ /

noun

1. the natural features of a landscape

2. theatre the painted backcloths, stage structures, etc, used to represent a location in a theatre or studio

---

Etymology

Origin of scenery

First recorded in 1740–50; scene + -ery

Explanation

Scenery is a word for how a place looks, especially a beautiful, outdoorsy place. Also, scenery is fake background in a play. If you go to a place with mountains, and beautiful trees, and gorgeous skies, then it's got great scenery. Scenery is the stuff you can look at outside. If a place is plain, ugly, or desolate, you might say, "Not much scenery." Also, painters and set designers create scenery for plays. In theater, scenery could represent anything: buildings, trees, or the inside of a house. If a play has a lot of different settings, then it needs a lot of scenery.

Example Sentences

In these big games, he doesn’t just chew the scenery, he orders it rare and asks for seconds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

He admired the scenery in Cuba and said he was happy it wasn’t “in a hurricane zone.”

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

“It’s still paradise because of the scenery and how beautiful it is here,” she adds.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026

Rust-colored mountains tower on the horizon, pale-green succulents defy the parched earth, Spanish-style shingles fill the scenery.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

Some people look at pictures of animals and scenery and feel an overwhelming sense of joy.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Related Words

• backdrop
• decor
• furnishings
• furniture
• landscape
• setting
• spectacle
• terrain