background music

Noun

Meaning

Any music played in a public space whose main function is to create an atmosphere suitable to a specific occasion, rather than to be listened to.

Any music in a film, video game, or other medium that establishes mood and is not meant to have the audience's focus.

Synonyms

Examples

We are increasingly likely to find ourselves in places with background music. No composers have thought to write for these modern spaces, which represent 30% of our musical experience. Brian Eno

The conception of background music is changing. You use less and less of it these days. Satyajit Ray

The Mekons were kind of like the background music of my life. Jonathan Franzen

Surely words are just the background music when passion pounces on a soul. Andrew Sean Greer

The countdown reached ten seconds and I could almost hear an invisible crescendo of stirring background music. 'Anchors aweigh!' Five, four, three, two, one... and we had ignition! Eugene Cernan

It was at that exact moment that I saw Peter walking down the hall toward me. He looked so good. He deserved his own background music. Jenny Han

Close letter words and terms