Thesaurus results for BACKLAND

backland

noun

ˈbak-ˌland

Definition of backland

as in countryside

usually backlands plural a rural region that forms the edge of the settled or developed part of a country they purposely vacationed in the backlands to get away from people

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of backland But more migrants, moving farther into remote backlands to elude the Border Patrol, have died in scorching desert heat, a shameful indicator that enforcement is having an effect in many places. — Julia Preston, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2024 His protagonist, living in direst poverty in Brazil’s arid backlands, decides to migrate to the wealthier coast. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 1 Dec. 2019 Born in the arid backlands of Brazil’s north-east, Mr Gilberto arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 as a singer in one of the then-fashionable vocal ensembles. — The Economist, 11 July 2019 Tucked in the emerald backlands of Fayetteville, Georgia, inside a cavernous soundstage at Pinewood Studios, Mara Brock-Akil is in full field marshall mode. — Jason Parham, WIRED, 19 June 2018 Patrícia Santos da Silva, 24, and her family live in the city of Santana do Ipanema, in the western backlands of Alagoas. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 1 Nov. 2017 Some escaped and formed clandestine communities in the backlands of the rainforest, independent villages known as quilombos. — Smithsonian, 21 Sep. 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for backland

Noun

Although the Nordics fell out of love with the south of Sweden when the Med started attracting the rich and famous in the 1970s, a small but mighty renaissance is taking place on the Swedish countryside and shores.

— Michelle Tchea, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2026
Though the royal family didn’t post anything on social media, Meghan did—both the aforementioned Instagram Reel and an Instagram Story, which showed a clip of her and Harry taking a countryside drive with Harry in the driver’s seat.

— Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of countryside

Noun

In any event, relocating an entertainment behemoth out of California, to some entertainment hinterland like those states, would be more complicated and certainly costly than staying put.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
At the very least, regionalism marked a spatial recalibration in the literary imaginary, away from European metropoles and national capitals and toward rural hinterlands.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of hinterland

Noun

Navigate the biodiverse backwaters of Choctawhatchee Bay or visit Destin, the perfect beach town for kiteboarding and snorkeling.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
No one predicted the sleepy backwater of Sassnitz would be rebranded ‘Crashnitz’ or ‘Smashnitz’ by the end of the first edition of the German Sail Grand Prix last year.

— Andrew Rice, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of backwater

Noun

That result shocked many Germans who had believed their country had developed an immunity to nationalism and assertions of racial superiority after confronting the horrors of its Nazi past through education and laws to prohibit persecution.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
Subsequent intermittent attacks between the two countries have coincided with higher domestic gas prices due to disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

— Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of country

Noun

For a uniquely Australian experience, extend your trip inland with a stay at one of the region’s vast outback stations.

— Stuart Rigg, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2026
Until the huge sow grizzly and her two cubs showed up that day in September 2000, the moose hunt that McCoy and Corle had embarked on promised to be just another adventure in the Alaskan outback.

— Jan Thacker, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of outback

Noun

At a time when the race to build the best frontier models is center stage, the competition to establish the next hardware platform is shaping up to be just as important.

— Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026
Both Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei have been pushing the AI industry to slow down on frontier AI development ever since existential fears surrounding the topic were raised in the public square this month.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 23 Sep. 2026