Definition of background - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
visualpart of a scene behind the main subject
- The mountains formed a stunning background.
2.
personal historyperson's past experiences or history
- His background in engineering helped him solve the problem..
3.
contextsetting or situation where events occur
- The movie's background was set in medieval Europe..
4.
historyinformation about past events relevant now
- The background of the conflict is complex.
5.
technologyimage or color behind desktop items
- He changed the background to a beach photo.
6.
sociologyone's social heritage or previous life
- Her background influenced her career choices.
7.
soundunobtrusive sound accompanying an activity
- Soft music played in the background.
8.
computingTECH. activity not visible to the userTECH.
- The app runs in the background.
9.
physicsTECH. low-level radiation or noiseTECH.
- Scientists measured the background radiation.
Verb
1.
explanationgive context or history for something
- The lecturer backgrounded the theory with historical events..
2.
positioningplace in a position that is not prominent
- The director decided to background the less important characters.
3.
journalismcollect and share context about a person, event, or topic
- The reporter was tasked to background the new policy.
Images of background

part of a scene behind the main subject 
image or color behind desktop items
Expressions with background
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confidential information not for publication, often from unnamed sources
The reporter received details on deep background.
show context or situation surrounding an event or action
The decision was made against a background of economic crisis.
avoid attention by not standing out
She tried to blend into the background during the meeting.
become less noticeable or important
As the main speaker began, the assistant faded into the background.
blend in and become less noticeable
He tried to melt into the background at the party.
blend in and become unnoticeable
He tried to merge into the background during the meeting.
become less noticeable or prominent
She tends to shrink into the background during meetings.
in a position that is not the main focus
She stayed in the background during the meeting.
investigation into someone's personal and professional history
Before hiring, they conducted a thorough background check.
music played softly to create an atmosphere
The cafe had soothing background music that enhanced the cozy vibe..
unwanted or irrelevant sound in an environment
The background noise in the cafe made it hard to concentrate..
social and economic situation of someone's family
Her family background influenced her career choices.
solid foundation of knowledge or experience
She has a strong background in mathematics.
image used as a visual backdrop behind main content or subject
I set a new background picture on my laptop screen.
history of paid work, training and skills in a chosen career
Her professional background includes several years in project management.
education history and qualifications
Her academic background includes a degree in biology.
understanding from past experiences or education
He used his background knowledge to learn the new topic.
history of a person's education
Her educational background includes a degree in biology.
investigate someone's history and credentials
The company will run a background check on all new employees.
family situation and social level someone comes from
Her social background influenced her choice of university.
check of someone's history and credentials
The company conducted a background investigation before hiring the new employee.
knowledge or experience in a specific industry
Her industry background in finance helped her secure the job.
document giving detailed context and information on a specific subject
The committee read a background paper on climate policy before the hearing.
information that helps understand a situation
The contextual background of the story helps readers understand the characters' motivations.
Origin of background
English, back (rear) + ground (surface)
Terms with background included in their meaning
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ancestry
family history or background
background info
section of a website with background information
music
singer who provides background vocals
wealthy background
child from a wealthy family
cats
brindled with dark stripes on a lighter background
technology
background image on a computer screen
identity
ask about cultural or ethnic background
device display art
background image on a device screen
surroundings
situation or background that helps explain something
heritage
ancestry or background of a person
work background
knowledge and skills gained from doing similar work before now
character
background information about a character's past
background
check to find past crimes
figurative similarity
show very close likeness in basic character or background
work salary
same pay for the same work, regardless of gender or background
health background
medical information on relatives' health disorders
elevator background
soft background music played in elevators
nightclub act
vocalist providing relaxed background entertainment, often in bars or lounges
audio
process or feature that lowers unwanted background sound level
heritage
connected to one's origin or background
tech
digital image used as screen background
explanation
explain something by giving background or related information
background
conduct a background or information verification
security
investigation of someone's background for safety clearance
Examples of background in a sentence
A soft background of trees framed the portrait. Her background in medicine made her a valuable team member. They checked his background before hiring him. The background of the story was a bustling city. The painting had a serene background of mountains. She provided background on the company's history.
Understanding the background of the case is crucial. The background was a calming shade of blue. She set a mountain view as her desktop background. His background in engineering helped him solve the problem. She often spoke about her humble background. The hum of the air conditioner was a constant background. Birds chirped softly in the background during the meeting. The update downloaded in the background. Notifications are processed in the background. The device detected background noise in the lab. Background interference affected the experiment's results. She backgrounded her argument with relevant data. The report backgrounded the issue with recent statistics. The editor backgrounded minor details in the report. The app backgrounds inactive notifications. She needed to background the candidate's history before the interview. The editor asked him to background the event thoroughly.
View all translations of background
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:arrière-plan, contextualiser, ...
- German:Hintergrund, kontextualisieren, ...
- Italian:sfondo, fornire contesto, ...
- Spanish:fondo, dar contexto, ...
- Portuguese:fundo, dar contexto, ...
- Chinese:背景, 提供背景, ...
- Japanese:背景, 背景を提供する, ...
- Arabic:خَلْفِيَّة, قَدَّمَ خَلْفِيَّة, ...
- Hebrew:רֶקַע, לְסַפֵּק רֶקַע, ...
- Russian:фон, предоставлять контекст, ...
- Ukrainian:фон, забезпечувати фон, ...
- Hindi:पृष्ठभूमि, पृष्ठभूमि प्रदान करना, ...

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