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:
Against that backdrop, 88 percent of Brazilians favor tougher sentences for criminals and 79 percent support lowering the age of criminal responsibility, according to recent polls.
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
The emotional moment, which featured a big image of a smiling O'Hara as the backdrop, appeared to bring actors Martin Short and Steve Martin, sitting in the audience, to tears.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
“With that as a backdrop, offering matching on student loans also incentivizes workers to pay loans and helps avoid a drop of credit score and fees if they don’t.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Climbing energy prices come against the backdrop of a wider selloff of U.S. government bonds, which pushed the 10-year Treasury yield above 5% on Monday, the second time since 2007.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Adele was married on a hilltop, with a view of Kigali stretching out below, a stunning backdrop of red roofs and green hills.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
The artificiality isn’t just about painted backdrops and CGI mobs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
In the posts that followed, Modi's team appeared to respond to some of that criticism, experimenting with different camera angles, backdrops and lighting.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 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
Now, Rhys embraces two wildly different roles he shot back-to-back, showcasing versatility against foreboding backdrops of murder and the supernatural.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 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
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
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
A royal hockey tour nonetheless backdropped by the solemnity of Seattle, the Canadiens, and an unforgiving pandemic of a century past.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 25, 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
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.
