1. a painted cloth hung at the back of a theater stage as scenery
Usage: chiefly British
2. the setting or background against which something takes place
Usage: figurative

Examples

• The backcloth depicted a medieval castle for the play’s opening scene.
• Stagehands quickly changed the backcloth between acts.
• The painted backcloth created the illusion of a forest setting.
• Against the backcloth of economic uncertainty, the company made bold decisions.
• The political crisis formed the backcloth for the novel’s events.
• The theater’s backcloth was hand-painted by local artists.