Phrase guide

behind the scenes

adj · prep_phrase · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /bɪˈhaɪnd ðə siːnz/
  • /bəˈhaɪnd ðə siːnz/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Being or working out in secret or out of public view.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Divulging or reporting hidden workings.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

prep_phrase

Meaning 3

behind the scenery and stage area; backstage; among the actors; during the production or rehearsal

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Topics: broadcasting, entertainment, film, lifestyle, media, television, theater

Examples

  • Many videos come with features that show what went on behind the scenes to make the movie and special effects.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

prep_phrase

Meaning 4

In secret; out of public view.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, idiomatic

Examples

  • The government has been negotiating behind the scenes with the separatists for months.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

58 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Georgian: კულისებს მიღმა (ḳulisebs miɣma) — theatre/film
  • German: hinter den Kulissen — theatre/film
  • Korean: 비하인드 (bihaindeu) — theatre/film
  • Arabic: مِن وَرَاءَ السِّتارِ (min warāʔa s-sitāri) — in secret; out of public view
  • Arabic: وَرَاءَ الكَوالِيسِ (warāʔa l-kawālīsi) — in secret; out of public view
  • Belarusian: за кулі́самі (za kulísami) — in secret; out of public view
  • Belarusian: за ка́драм (za kádram) — in secret; out of public view
  • Bulgarian: зад кули́сите (zad kulísite) — in secret; out of public view
  • Catalan: entre bastidors — in secret; out of public view
  • Chinese Mandarin: 幕後 /幕后 (mùhòu) — in secret; out of public view
  • Czech: v zákulisí — in secret; out of public view
  • Danish: bag kulisserne — in secret; out of public view
  • Dutch: achter de schermen — in secret; out of public view
  • Dutch: achter de coulissen — in secret; out of public view
  • Estonian: kulisside taga — in secret; out of public view
  • Estonian: tagaplaanil — in secret; out of public view
  • Faroese: í loynd — in secret; out of public view
  • Faroese: í loyndum — in secret; out of public view
  • Faroese: í duldum — in secret; out of public view
  • Faroese: í duld — in secret; out of public view
  • Finnish: kulissien takana — in secret; out of public view
  • Finnish: kulisseissa — in secret; out of public view
  • French: en coulisse — in secret; out of public view
  • French: de l'autre côté du décor — in secret; out of public view
  • French: dans les coulisses — in secret; out of public view
  • Georgian: კულისებს მიღმა (ḳulisebs miɣma) — in secret; out of public view
  • German: hinter den Kulissen — in secret; out of public view
  • Hebrew: מְאֲחוֹרֵי הַפַּרְגּוֹד (me'akhoréi ha-pargód) — in secret; out of public view
  • Hebrew: מְאֲחוֹרֵי הַקְּלָעִים (me'akhoréi ha-kla'ím) — in secret; out of public view
  • Hungarian: a kulisszák mögött — in secret; out of public view
  • Hungarian: a színfalak mögött — in secret; out of public view
  • Italian: dietro le quinte — in secret; out of public view
  • Japanese: 舞台裏 (butaiura) — in secret; out of public view
  • Kazakh: астыртын (astyrtyn) — in secret; out of public view
  • Kazakh: жасырын (jasyryn) — in secret; out of public view
  • Korean: 막후 (makhu) — in secret; out of public view
  • Macedonian: зад кулоа́рите (zad kuloárite) — in secret; out of public view
  • Norwegian Bokmål: bak kulissene — in secret; out of public view
  • Polish: za kulisami — in secret; out of public view
  • Portuguese: nos bastidores — in secret; out of public view
  • Portuguese: por detrás dos bastidores — in secret; out of public view
  • Portuguese: por baixo dos panos — in secret; out of public view
  • Russian: за кули́сами (za kulísami) — in secret; out of public view
  • Russian: за ка́дром (za kádrom) — in secret; out of public view
  • Russian: в кулуа́рах (v kuluárax) — in secret; out of public view
  • Sanskrit: नेपथ्ये (nepathye) — in secret; out of public view
  • Slovak: v zákulisí — in secret; out of public view
  • Spanish: detrás del telón — in secret; out of public view
  • Spanish: entre bastidores — in secret; out of public view
  • Spanish: tras bambalinas — in secret; out of public view
  • Swedish: bakom kulisserna — in secret; out of public view
  • Telugu: తెరవెనుక (teravenuka) — in secret; out of public view
  • Turkish: kafes ardından — in secret; out of public view
  • Turkish: kulis arkasında — in secret; out of public view
  • Ukrainian: за кулі́сами (za kulísamy) — in secret; out of public view
  • Ukrainian: за лашту́нками (za laštúnkamy) — in secret; out of public view
  • Ukrainian: за ка́дром (za kádrom) — in secret; out of public view
  • Yiddish: הינטער די קוליסן (hinter di kulisn) — in secret; out of public view