as in countryside
a rural region that forms the edge of the settled or developed part of a country
a distant backwater that didn't even have electricity at that time
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backwater
In 2002 Bisignano took charge at a Citi backwater called Global Transactions Services that was then losing $3 billion a year.
—
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
The film takes place in a dreary town in Victoria, Australia, a drab industrial backwater whose people — or, at least some of whom — flock to religion to give their lives the brightness of hope and higher purpose.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
The Arctic is no longer a frozen backwater.
—Paul McCarthy, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
But in reality, playing in that kind of backwater only exposes gamblers to more risk.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backwater
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
The film takes place in a dreary town in Victoria, Australia, a drab industrial backwater whose people — or, at least some of whom — flock to religion to give their lives the brightness of hope and higher purpose.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
The Arctic is no longer a frozen backwater.
—Paul McCarthy, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
But in reality, playing in that kind of backwater only exposes gamblers to more risk.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backwater
Noun
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This 1830s-era home on the property of Pickett Hill Farm is quintessential countryside.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Maiduguri has been at the heart of deadly violence in Nigeria in the past, but has experienced relative peace in recent years, even as the countryside is often battered by extremists.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Approximately 2,000 years ago, the Antonine Wall divided Scotland into two as the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, stretching about 37 miles long.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
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The next frontier isn’t digital intelligence that can describe the world.—
Vivek Ranadive,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The plant to which Savolainen refers is yellow bush penstemon (Keckiella antirrhinoides).—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
-
An adjacent patio with a large table sits next to a low wall with hydrangea bushes overlooking the pool.—
Megan Johnson,
Architectural Digest,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s national security and defense council, visited the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan in the past week and said the drone defenses were deployed in those countries.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
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In a telephone interview with Kyodo News on Friday, Araghchi denied closing the passageway, insisting instead that countries attacking Iran face restrictions, while others were being offered assistance.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Orlando was considered the hinterlands.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
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Expertise was often distributed between cities and their hinterlands, with cities functioning as hubs in cross-continental product networks.—
R. Alexander Bentley,
The Conversation,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Both Benna and Einhorn were used to André pitching outrageous concepts in conversation over the years, whether in regard to a new client or a road trip involving some remote outback and hallucinogens.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
7 Mar. 2026
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Black lives don’t matter in Warwick Thornton’s fiercely original outback Western Wolfram, a surprisingly emotional genre piece that simmers with menace and doesn’t let up until the bloody finale.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backwater. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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