background

[bak-ground] / ˈbækˌgraʊnd /

NOUN

experience or circumstances

Synonyms

STRONGEST

backdrop culture education environment history practice qualification tradition training upbringing

STRONG

accomplishments acquirement actions atmosphere attainment aura breeding capacity credentials cultivation deeds framework grounding preparation rearing seasoning

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ignorance

WEAK

foreground

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.

Against a somber, black background, the sitter comes vividly alive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

A single supermassive black hole can dramatically magnify a background star, but only when the alignment is almost perfect.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

So while some of the show’s characters met untimely or tragic ends, Maddy came through the other side as someone more powerful: a Latina who didn’t fade into the background but, instead, commanded our attention.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

That related to the recording of background data.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

They had to, because in the background the TV was always blaring.

From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney

Vocabulary lists containing background

Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)

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Close Reading: The Art and Craft of Rhetorical Analysis (Chapter 2)

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