backdrop

[bak-drop]

noun

1. especially British, back-cloth. Theater.,  the rear curtain of a stage setting.

2. the background of an event; setting.

3. Gymnastics.,  a maneuver in which a trampolinist jumps in the air, lands on the back with the arms and legs pointed upward, and then springs up to a standing position.

verb (used with object)

backdropped, backdropt, backdropping. 

1. to provide a setting or background for.

   A vast mountain range backdrops the broad expanse of lake.

backdrop

/ ˈbækˌdrɒp /

noun

1. another name for backcloth

2. the background to any scene or situation

Word History and Origins

Origin of backdrop¹

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; back ¹ + drop

Example Sentences

The games could be interpreted as the culmination of a slow but steady reconciliation between the NBA and China, on a backdrop of tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade.

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Politicians are using airports as the backdrop for news conferences to air their grievances about the funding debate.

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The museum’s motto, “Discover the Past. Protect the Future,” emphasizes scientific understanding as a backdrop to environmental stewardship.

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But the circle of pianos provided a sort of unified backdrop that held it all together.

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Given the inflationary backdrop and persistent uncertainty around tariffs and other risks, speculation that the BSP is close to the finish line with rate cuts has been rising.

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Related Words

• scenery 

When To Use

What does backdrop mean?

Backdrop refers to the background or setting of a situation or event.It can refer to something physically located in the background of something else, such as a backdrop used for a photo shoot. It can also be used figuratively to refer to circumstances that surround an event, as in a backdrop of scandal and accusations of fraud. More specifically, a backdrop is the curtain that hangs at the back of the stage in a theater, as in We have to fix the rips in the backdrop before the big show. Less commonly, backdrop can also be used as a verb to mean providing a background for something, as in The towering trees backdropped the outdoor photo shoot. Example: The film took place against the backdrop of World War II and featured major events from the war.