background music
Americannoun
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music, often recorded, intended to provide a soothing background, usually played over loudspeaker systems in public places, as railway stations or restaurants.
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music composed specifically to accompany and heighten the mood of a visual production, as a movie.
Etymology
Origin of background music
First recorded in 1925–30
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.
On Spotify, there are hundreds of playlists dedicated to the programme's background music.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
The arts can seem little more than background music to the main events in American history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
The tariffs have largely been background music as investors weigh the artificial-intelligence build-out and inflation.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026
A speech Bass delivered at Raman’s rally in Sherman Oaks was turned into a social media video with stirring background music.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 15, 2026
I can almost hear the documentary’s mournful violin background music start up.
From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden
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