Synonyms for background

verb

• understate the importance or quality of

noun

• the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground
• scenery hung at back of stage
• (computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear
• the state of the environment in which a situation exists
• information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem
• extraneous signals that can be confused with the phenomenon to be observed or measured
• a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
• relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation