background
background — noun
1. whatever sits further from the viewer in a picture, photo, or scene — the surfac
whatever sits further from the viewer in a picture, photo, or scene — the surface or area that frames whoever or whatever is the main subject.
In Camille's wedding photo, snowy mountains rise in the background.
phrase: in the background
The artist painted Tariq against a deep red background.
pattern: against a [colour] background
You can just see Quinn waving in the background of this photo.
The studio used a plain white background for all the staff portraits.
collocation: plain / white / blank background
- in the background
- against a white background
- plain background
- blurred background
- foreground
the part of a picture nearest the viewer
Grammar Patterns
in the background
against a [colour] background
Usage Note
Frequently appears in the fixed phrase 'in the background' and after prepositions like 'against'. Contrast with sense 7 (computer wallpaper) and sense 5 (low-attention position).
Common Mistakes
2. quieter sounds, especially music or voices, that you can hear while something lo
quieter sounds, especially music or voices, that you can hear while something louder or more important is happening.
Soft jazz played in the background while the diners chatted.
collocation: play in the background
I could hear a baby crying in the background of Quinn's phone call.
The cafe always has the radio on quietly in the background.
Background music in the shop made it feel calm and welcoming.
compound noun: background music
- background music
- background noise
- background chatter
- play in the background
- ambient sound
more technical, used in audio production
- backing track
specifically a recorded music layer behind a singer
Grammar Patterns
in the background
Usage Note
Often forms compound nouns: 'background music', 'background noise', 'background chatter'. Distinguish from sense 1 (visual) — this sense is purely auditory.
Common Mistakes
3. earlier events and surrounding conditions that explain why a particular situatio
earlier events and surrounding conditions that explain why a particular situation developed the way it did.
The journalist explained the political background to the protests in Hong Kong.
pattern: background to [event]
Against this background of rising prices, many families cut back on travel.
phrase: against a/the background of
To understand the war, you need to know its historical background.
The report described the background of the company's sudden collapse.
- historical background
- political background
- the background to
- against this background
- context
more general; can apply to any situation, not just history
- circumstances
focuses on conditions surrounding the event
Grammar Patterns
the background to/of [event]
against a/the background of
Usage Note
Used with prepositions 'to' and 'of' to link to a specific event. Distinguish from sense 4 (general explanatory information not tied to one event) and sense 6 (a person's life history).
Common Mistakes
4. the basic facts about a topic that someone needs to know in order to understand
the basic facts about a topic that someone needs to know in order to understand it properly.
Dr. Una gave us some background on the experiment before we began.
pattern: background on [topic]
The article provides useful background for readers new to the subject.
Could you send me a bit of background before tomorrow's meeting with the client?
The teacher offered background information on the novel's author and time period.
collocation: background information
- background information
- background reading
- give some background
- provide background
Grammar Patterns
background on [topic]
background information
Usage Note
Often paired with 'information', 'reading', or 'briefing'. Differs from sense 3 in scope: sense 3 explains a specific event's causes, while this sense supplies general orientation on a topic.
Common Mistakes
5. a position where a person or thing is not the focus of attention — for example,
a position where a person or thing is not the focus of attention — for example, a quiet team member at a meeting, or an issue people have stopped paying attention to.
The CEO prefers to stay in the background and let her managers speak.
phrase: stay in the background
The privacy debate has faded into the background since the election.
phrase: fade into the background
Quinn is happy to work in the background while his partner takes the credit.
Older issues like roads and schools dropped into the background during the campaign.
- stay in the background
- fade into the background
- remain in the background
- slip into the background
- behind the scenes
stresses doing work others do not see
- out of the spotlight
stresses avoiding public attention
Grammar Patterns
in the background
stay/remain/fade into the background
Usage Note
Almost always in fixed phrases with verbs of motion or staying: stay / remain / fade / slip / drop into the background. Subject is usually a person, role, or topic — not a physical object.
Common Mistakes
6. the kind of family someone grew up in, plus their school history, jobs, and life
the kind of family someone grew up in, plus their school history, jobs, and life experience.
Tariq comes from a working-class background in northern Taiwan.
pattern: from a ... background
The school welcomes children from many different cultural backgrounds.
collocation: cultural / ethnic background
Tell us a little about your background and previous jobs, Mr. Singh.
Pia has a strong background in software engineering.
collocation: background in [field]
Her musical background made her perfect for the choir director job.
- family background
- cultural background
- educational background
- background in [field]
- upbringing
focuses on how a person was raised by their family
- history
broader; covers more than just family and education
Grammar Patterns
a [adj] background
from a ... background
Usage Note
Common adjective + background pairs: family, cultural, ethnic, educational, working-class, musical. Use 'background in [field]' for professional experience.
Common Mistakes
7. the picture or colour shown on a phone or computer screen, behind any icons, app
the picture or colour shown on a phone or computer screen, behind any icons, apps, or open windows.
Camille set a photo of her dog as the background on her laptop.
collocation: set as the background
You can change the background by long-pressing on the home screen.
collocation: change the background
The default background on the new phone is a blue mountain scene.
Quinn picked a dark background so the icons would stand out.
- change the background
- set as background
- desktop background
- phone background
- wallpaper
more common in phone settings menus
- desktop image
specifically the picture on a computer desktop
Grammar Patterns
change/set the background
Usage Note
Synonymous with 'wallpaper' in everyday speech, especially on phones. Distinguish from sense 8 (background tasks/processes).
8. an app, task, or program that keeps running on a device while the user is busy w
an app, task, or program that keeps running on a device while the user is busy with something else on the screen.
The music app keeps playing in the background while Tariq checks his email.
phrase: run in the background
Too many background apps were draining Quinn's phone battery.
compound noun: background apps
The file is uploading in the background, so you can keep working.
While Tariq edited photos, his antivirus app quietly ran as a background process the whole time.
compound: background process
- run in the background
- background app
- background process
- background sync
- background process
the technical term used by operating systems
- foreground
the app or task currently shown on screen
Grammar Patterns
run in the background
background app/task/process
Usage Note
Usually appears with verbs like 'run', 'play', 'sync', or 'upload' plus 'in the background'. Distinguish from sense 7, which refers to the visible image, not active tasks.
Common Mistakes
To act in a quiet way so that other people do not pay attention to you.
At the party, Tom tried to merge into the background.
Did Maya merge into the background during the meeting?
background — adjective
1. describing something you do or read in advance to prepare yourself for a bigger
describing something you do or read in advance to prepare yourself for a bigger task that follows.
Dr. Una asked the students to do some background reading before the seminar.
compound: background reading
The reporter spent two weeks on background research before writing the story.
compound: background research
Most companies now run a background check on every new employee.
compound: background check
Tariq took a few background notes so he could ask better questions later.
- background reading
- background research
- background check
- background notes
- preparatory
more formal; broader, not tied to fixed compounds
- preliminary
stresses 'first stage', not necessarily for self-preparation
Grammar Patterns
background + noun (reading, research, check)
Usage Note
Almost always in fixed compounds: 'background reading', 'background research', 'background check', 'background notes'. The adjective sits directly before the noun and is not used after a verb (no 'the reading is background').
Common Mistakes
background — verb
1. to place a coloured surface, image, or scene behind something so that it stands
to place a coloured surface, image, or scene behind something so that it stands out more clearly.
The designer backgrounded each product photo with a soft grey panel.
transitive: background + noun + with [colour]
Tariq's wedding portrait was backgrounded by tall pine trees and a misty lake.
passive: be backgrounded by
The museum backgrounded the gold coins with deep red velvet.
Stagehands backgrounded the singer with a starry night scene.
- background with [material]
- be backgrounded by
- set against
more common in everyday writing
- frame
stresses surrounding all sides, not just behind
Grammar Patterns
background + noun
be backgrounded by/with
Usage Note
Rare and chiefly used in design, photography, and theatre contexts. The 'backdrop' is introduced with 'with' (the material) or 'by' (in the passive).
Common Mistakes
2. to treat a topic, fact, or person as less important than they really are by givi
to treat a topic, fact, or person as less important than they really are by giving them little space or attention.
Critics said the documentary backgrounded the role of women in the war.
transitive: background + noun
The newspaper backgrounded the economic risks and stressed the political win.
Director Maria's own achievements were quietly backgrounded by the studio throughout awards season.
passive: be backgrounded
The textbook backgrounds local cultures and focuses on European history.
- background the issue
- background the role of
- be quietly backgrounded
- downplay
much more common in everyday English
- marginalise
stronger; suggests pushing to the edge of importance
- foreground
to give special prominence to something
- highlight
to draw attention to
Grammar Patterns
background + noun
Usage Note
Often appears alongside a contrasting verb such as 'foreground', 'highlight', or 'stress', showing what the writer chose to emphasise instead.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- backdropnounC1
- foregroundnounC1
- foregroundverbC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/6
When talking about a person's life story, these four words divide the territory neatly. 'Background' is the broadest in this group: it covers family, education, jobs, and culture all at once, which is why job interviews ask candidates to 'tell us about your background'. 'Upbringing' zooms in on childhood and how parents raised you — values, manners, religion — and stops there; you would not say a 40-year-old's career counts as their upbringing. 'History' tilts toward documented facts and timelines, often medical or legal ('a history of asthma', 'a criminal history'), and feels more neutral than personal. 'Experience' is the narrowest: it points only at what someone has actually done, especially in work. So Pia has a background in engineering (full picture), an upbringing in a quiet village (childhood), no criminal history (record), and ten years of experience writing code (track record).
Common collocations
Nouns
- background music
- background noise
- background information
- background check
- background process
- background image
Phrases
- fade into the background
- stay in the background
- against this background
- do background reading
- run in the background
Prepositions
- in the background
- against the background of
- from a [adj] background
- background to
- background on
Etymology
The word formed in 17th-century English by joining 'back' (the rear part) with 'ground' (an area of land or surface). It first named the rear part of a stage or scene in painting, then extended naturally to the rear of any picture. By the 19th century it had stretched into figurative uses — the events behind a situation, and the personal history shaping someone's life. The 20th-century rise of computing added two fresh senses: the image behind screen icons, and the tasks running behind the active app. Each new technology has simply borrowed the older spatial idea: whatever sits behind the main thing.