as a background of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a background of" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when describing something that serves as a context or setting for another element. Example: "The painting was created as a background of the historical events depicted in the story."

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Against what it described as a background of "stubbornly weak" global market growth, the Anglo-Dutch household goods group reported annual underlying sales growth of 3.1percentnt, just within its 3 to 5percentntargetetarget

The Times

As a background of our exposition, we now mention some contractive mappings and iteration schemes.

Fixed Point Theory and Applications

Similarly, if 張大著眼睛看 zhāngdà zhe yǎnjing kān 'open ZHE eyes look' is a legal sentence that means V1 is better as a background of V2.

Lingua Sinica

These results distinctly demonstrate that the PC index growth, preceding the substorm onset, is closely related to the appropriate rise in the E KL field, although the close linkage between E KL and PC in case of expanded substorms is essentially deformed by the high magnetic activity, serving as a background of the expanded substorm onsets.

Earth, Planets and Space

Stanford professor Van Harvey refers to this as a "background of aggressive secularism and the almost complete neglect of the academic study of religion".

Wikipedia

A second source of crosstalk arises from non-specific binding by the primary or secondary antibodies, which appears as a background of spots distributed over the image.

ChemPhysChem

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

The man, previously referred to in a warrant as Oscar Ramiro Ortega, has a background of legal problems and is said to have a history of aberrant behavior.

The New York Times

It is, unmistakably, the fence kept in New Haven photographer's studio and used only as a background for pictures of Yale athletic captains.

The New Yorker

In BOS tomography, a network of cameras are focused through a variable index medium (such as a flame) onto a background of patterned images.

Combustion and Flame

defer.add img); Skinery tiles pro: This app makes it possible to put a wallpaper as a background to a set of apps' tiles (incompatible with all apps).

WikiHow

Bands of enzyme activity were detected as zones of clearance on a background of uniform blue staining.

British Journal of Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "as a background of", ensure the context is clear and the phrase adds value. Consider whether a more direct or common alternative might improve clarity and flow.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on "as a background of" in formal or academic writing. More precise alternatives like "in the context of" or "against the backdrop of" often provide greater clarity and sophistication.

Linguistic Context

"As a background of" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically introducing a clause that provides context or setting for the main subject. It is often used to frame events, situations, or ideas within a particular context. Ludwig shows various examples in scientific and news contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

31%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "as a background of" functions as a prepositional phrase used to introduce context or setting. While grammatically acceptable, Ludwig AI points out that the phrase is not very common and may sometimes sound awkward. It is frequently encountered in scientific and news contexts, with a neutral to formal register. For improved clarity and impact, writers should consider using alternatives such as "in the context of" or "against the backdrop of". While the phrase has examples available online, being mindful of the alternatives is a good tool to improve writing quality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as backdrop to

Replaces "background" with "backdrop", emphasizing the visual aspect of providing a setting.

in the context of

Highlights the surrounding circumstances or conditions relevant to an event or situation.

against the background of

Similar to the original, but places more emphasis on the presence of something behind or underlying.

serving as context for

Directly states the function of providing context.

as a foundation for

Implies a supportive or underlying role, suggesting something is built upon it.

in light of

Focuses on how new information or circumstances affect understanding.

given the framework of

Emphasizes the structured or organized nature of the background.

within the scope of

Defines boundaries or limits related to the background.

in relation to

Highlights the connection or association between elements.

considering the setting of

Focuses on the place or environment in which something occurs.

FAQs

What does "as a background of" mean?

The phrase "as a background of" indicates that something serves as a context, setting, or underlying condition for something else. It suggests that the background provides relevant information or circumstances that help to understand the main subject.

How can I use "as a background of" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe the circumstances or conditions that influence or explain an event, situation, or idea. For example, "The economic crisis served as a background of the political instability."

What are some alternatives to "as a background of"?

Alternatives include "in the context of", "against the backdrop of", or "serving as context for". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "as a background of" formal or informal?

The phrase "as a background of" is generally considered neutral, but it may sound slightly awkward in very formal contexts. Alternatives like "in light of" or "given the framework of" might be more appropriate for highly formal writing.