in the background

idiom

: in a position that avoids attracting attention
He was a shy man who always tried to keep/stay in the background.

Examples of in the background in a Sentence

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Meanwhile, something bubbling away in the background is the news that another estate agent, Douglas Kelly, has mysteriously disappeared. Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025 The scene plays out with Hill’s luxury dark-colored car — the butterfly door up — in the background. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025 In the clip, shared on her Instagram Stories and X, Halo sits on a bed playing with a toy stethoscope as his mom's film plays in the background. Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 6 Mar. 2025 In the clip, the whales can be seen circling close to the shore while the city skyline looms in the background. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for in the background

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Cite this Entry

“In the background.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20background. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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