back story

British

noun

the events which take place before, and which help to bring about, the events portrayed in a film

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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back story

On Instagram, she has curated her life to look idyllic, but perhaps she'll get a more generous hearing now that her back story is as messy and imperfect as everyone else's.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026

Despite the back story to this weekend's encounter, Vrancken has demanded his side do not "live in the past".

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

But Mr. Craighead intersperses his account with his captivating back story of his troubled youth and his search for meaning through righteous aggression and personal sacrifice.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Jason Arday shot to prominence thanks to a remarkable back story, some of which has come into question.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

LONDON—For years Jason Arday, who in 2023 became the youngest Black professor ever appointed by the University of Cambridge, was feted in the British media for his remarkable back story and account of his achievements.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023