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
Attorneys for the plaintiffs said the NACHA is a complex electronic payments system operating invisibly in the background of much of the nation’s economic activity.
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Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 17 May 2024
An article on Monday about the mystery setting in the background of the Mona Lisa misstated the surface that Leonardo da Vinci used for the painting.
—New York Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for in the background 
Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 17 May 2024
An article on Monday about the mystery setting in the background of the Mona Lisa misstated the surface that Leonardo da Vinci used for the painting.
—New York Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for in the background
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'in the background.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near in the background
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“In the background.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20background. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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