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
Recent Examples on the Web
Social media video geolocated by CNN to seven kilometers southeast of the Belaya Air Base in Russia’s eastern Irkutsk region, appears to show a drone flying out of a wooden shed loaded onto a truck as smoke rises in the background.
—
Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 2 June 2025
Four people are trying to ‘Clockwork Orange’ my eyes out, and ‘Just Like a Baby’ by Sly and the Family Stone was playing in the background.
—Steve Dollar, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Nate Barad, the company’s vice president of product marketing, said the data the company collected indicates consumers are starting to believe AI can upgrade their experience, rather than performing mundane tasks in the background.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 2 June 2025
The 16 Best Train Rides for Spotting Fall Foliage in the South
Head To A Drive-In Movie
Few summer rituals feel more quintessential than parking at a drive-in, tailgate open, fireflies blinking in the background.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 1 June 2025
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Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 2 June 2025
Four people are trying to ‘Clockwork Orange’ my eyes out, and ‘Just Like a Baby’ by Sly and the Family Stone was playing in the background.
—Steve Dollar, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Nate Barad, the company’s vice president of product marketing, said the data the company collected indicates consumers are starting to believe AI can upgrade their experience, rather than performing mundane tasks in the background.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 2 June 2025
The 16 Best Train Rides for Spotting Fall Foliage in the South
Head To A Drive-In Movie
Few summer rituals feel more quintessential than parking at a drive-in, tailgate open, fireflies blinking in the background.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the background
Cite this Entry
“In the background.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20background. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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