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 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
Periods in which Wall Street’s favorite stocks underperform so dramatically are rare, and they typically occur when the backdrop for corporate earnings, or the broader economy, is beginning to shift, Kantrowitz and his team said.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
The constitutional dispute is unfolding against the backdrop of the next parliamentary election, expected in 2027.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
Howard Fuller’s use of the phrase Black Power—against this backdrop of contention and violence—stirred a hornet’s nest in both the white and black communities.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Once associated with secretive romances and hurried ceremonies, elopements have evolved into destination weddings set against spectacular backdrops.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
Mountainous Yunnan province offers craggy backdrops for wedding photos while the southern island of Hainan has sandy beaches.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
Hilton said he did a lot of his production work outside, as there are a variety of luxurious backdrops ideal for his commentary.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
The ground is situated in the city's downtown and once you are inside it, it has one of the best backdrops I've experienced in football.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
Generose pressed Play on the VCR, and the screen came to life with the blurry images of a Catholic choir from Congo, singing hymns outdoors against changing backdrops of mountains and green forests.
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
“It’s the corner of the business with momentum tailwinds, backdropped by AI’s insatiable appetite for energy.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2025
All this will be backdropped by local beer, food and music.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 1, 2024
By the time about 20 minutes later when the sound managed to grow a notch more, it backdropped the clinching of Morocco’s cherished 2-0 win over favored Belgium, FIFA’s second-ranked team.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 27, 2022
Phil Manzanera, the 71-year-old guitarist for art-rock pioneers Roxy Music, is leaning into a computer camera backdropped by a nondescript hotel room.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2022
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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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
