background

noun
UK: /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
US: /ˈbækɡraʊnd/

  1. The area behind the main thing you are looking at.

    1. The mountains in the background look very high. [ ] [ ]
    2. The artist painted the sky blue in the background of the landscape. [ ] [ ]

  2. Someone's past experiences, knowledge, and education.

    1. She has a strong background in science. [ ] [ ]
    2. His family background explains his interest in social justice issues. [ ] [ ]

  3. Information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem.

    1. Let me give you some background on the project. [ ] [ ]
    2. The report provides useful background information for our research purposes. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

context history setting experience
background verb

  1. To give information about something to help someone understand it.

    1. Can you background me on this issue before the meeting? [ ] [ ]
    2. The briefing backgrounded the team on the latest developments in the case. [ ] [ ]
background adjective

  1. Operating out of sight or not attracting attention.

    1. The background music was very soothing. [ ] [ ]
    2. The website runs a background process to update the data. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "background" in English means: The area behind the main thing you are looking at., Someone's past experiences, knowledge, and education., Information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem..

The phonetic transcription of "background" is /ˈbækɡraʊnd/ in British English and /ˈbækɡraʊnd/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "background": context, history, setting, experience.

Example usage of "background": "The mountains in the background look very high.". More examples on the page.