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Synonyms

backdrop

American  
[bak-drop] / ˈbækˌdrɒp /

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 British  
/ ˈbækˌdrɒp /

noun

  1. another name for backcloth

  2. the background to any scene or situation

"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

Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of backdrop

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize,” she said, with a backdrop of a military march.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

But UBS analysts said the company could try to give itself more flexibility for a wider range of outcomes in its financial forecast, due to the the leadership change and a shakier economic backdrop.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 5, 2026

Against that backdrop, opinion among supporters is divided over whether the club's future should still be built around 'El Cholo'.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Against this backdrop, we see an attractive risk-reward profile for short-duration high-quality bonds.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

As he speaks, the backdrop changes again to the logo of Henka Games, followed by a video of Warcross creator Hideo Tanaka.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.