backdrop
Americannoun
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backdrops
plural
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especially British, back-cloth. Theater. the rear curtain of a stage setting.
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the background of an event; setting.
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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)
noun
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another name for backcloth
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the background to any scene or situation
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.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of backdrop
Explanation
A backdrop is the scenery that hangs behind the actors in a play. You might help to paint the backdrop for your school's production of "The Sound of Music." The backdrop is an important part of a theater production, since it provides a setting for a play or sets a mood for a musical performance. If you're watching a local version of "Oliver!" the backdrop might be designed to look like a London street scene, for example. The noun backdrop comes from US theater slang, from a combination of back and drop around 1913.
Vocabulary lists containing backdrop
Drama
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Awkward
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Theater - Introductory
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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.
See Examples For:
As he faces jail, it's clear that the behaviour that formed the backdrop to Brand's prosecution is the same behaviour that helped elevate him in the first place.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Against a weak backdrop, mid-term clarity could gradually attract conviction-based buyers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Against the backdrop of an unpopular war in Iran, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on July 15, 2026, that the Pentagon would begin testing male service members 30 and older for low testosterone.
From Salon ● Nov. 4, 2026
Against that geopolitical backdrop, Beijing has “every reason to take its time” on evaluating the deal, the Counterpoint analysts said.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
For he recognized that Jackson Park had something no other city in the world could equal: the spreading blue plain of Lake Michigan, as comely a backdrop for a fair as anyone could hope for.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Protests have continued off and on, and densely-populated Haredi areas are often the backdrops for confrontation with the security forces.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
He noted that AT&T investors have been concerned about a number of issues this year, including more competitive backdrops for both wireless and internet service.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
She’s a big fan of EcoSet, a Glassell Park “green resource for people in the film industry to grab what they need from a selection of paint, props, backdrops and more.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
The artificiality isn’t just about painted backdrops and CGI mobs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Photographic blowups of Fischer and Spassky adorned the windows of almost every shop, with black-and-white checkered displays serving as backdrops for huge papier-mâché chess pieces.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
“It’s the corner of the business with momentum tailwinds, backdropped by AI’s insatiable appetite for energy.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2025
He usually retained the sinister qualities from Yang’s images — sometimes backdropped by a nuclear explosion or a horde of zombies.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 26, 2023
In Early August, my partner and I were awakened by a loud alarm on his phone: “Earthquake alert, earthquake alert,” the phone warned with escalating intensity, backdropped by a soundtrack of fake sirens.
From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2022
The rust was evident, but not among the musicians who took the small stage backdropped by a Boeing 747.
From Seattle Times ● May 13, 2021
Jam looked at her reflection, backdropped by the creature, then wiped her hands over her face.
From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
Frank tapped L.A. painter Jessalyn Brooks to paint a colorful mural on the cinderblock wall backdropping the pool.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2024
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