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
Some of the coolest crappie fishing of the year occurs in backwaters that are easily accessible by foot.
—
Cory Schmidt,
Outdoor Life,
15 Apr. 2026
Gold transformed Victoria from a pastoral backwater into the most celebrated colony of the empire.
—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
At that time, in the 1920s, France was really a backwater in theoretical physics.
—
Tim Folger,
Scientific American,
16 Mar. 2026
But Dublin was a European backwater then.
—
Jody Mamone,
Hartford Courant,
16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backwater
Cory Schmidt,
Outdoor Life,
15 Apr. 2026
Gold transformed Victoria from a pastoral backwater into the most celebrated colony of the empire.
—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
At that time, in the 1920s, France was really a backwater in theoretical physics.
—
Tim Folger,
Scientific American,
16 Mar. 2026
But Dublin was a European backwater then.
—
Jody Mamone,
Hartford Courant,
16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backwater
Noun
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The crowd behind the cause Ordinary men and women in colonial cities and the countryside are behind the screen of the declaration’s list of charges too.
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In the film’s ferocious climax, Jim is shot but escapes with Selena and Hannah, and the story closes (28 days later) back in the countryside as a jet flies over and augurs their rescue.
Noun
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Export controls have blocked Huawei and China’s leading chipmakers from access to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools and leading-edge foundry capacity around which the frontier semiconductor roadmap is organized.
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Lutnick’s letter marks the beginnings of a new regulatory regime that gives the US government control over the release of frontier AI models.
Noun
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Now officials are urging residents to trim any unruly bushes or hedges that may impact traffic or sidewalks.
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But over the nearly one-and-a-half years since the 2025 mega-fires, native and invasive grasses, bushes and trees have begun to regrow, weaving flammable greenery across the landscape.
Noun
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Leiter said the final destination of the framework is peace between the two countries.
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Many countries and global organizations have pledged support and aid.
Noun
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In Beach Enclave’s hinterland, there are plenty of enjoyable distractions, including a 4,500-square-foot golf complex, with putting green, courts for tennis, padel, and pickleball, fitness center, and games lounge.
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The menu is top-tier and uses as much local produce from the ocean and nearby hinterland as possible.
Noun
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Observe black cockatoos preen in the drooping she-oaks, or marvel at the Dali-esque outback, filled with its skeletal mallee trees.
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Once the work is complete, the capsule reenters the atmosphere at some 18,000 miles per hour, parachuting down with a bump in the Australian outback.
Cite this Entry
“Backwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backwater. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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