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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backwater
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
In less than a year, this sea service has gone from an underfunded and troubled bureaucratic backwater to an elite, globe-spanning defense force, right at the center of American maritime law enforcement.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The nightclub, located along the Arpora River backwaters, had a narrow entry and exit that forced the firefighters to park their tankers about 1,300 feet away, delaying the efforts, the news agency said.
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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
In less than a year, this sea service has gone from an underfunded and troubled bureaucratic backwater to an elite, globe-spanning defense force, right at the center of American maritime law enforcement.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The nightclub, located along the Arpora River backwaters, had a narrow entry and exit that forced the firefighters to park their tankers about 1,300 feet away, delaying the efforts, the news agency said.
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backwater
Noun
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In his view, that’s pushing developers out further into the countryside in search of cheaper land.—
Mark Dee
March 12,
Idaho Statesman,
12 Mar. 2026
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Wine lovers will feel particularly at home thanks to more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms scattered throughout town and the surrounding countryside.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
During the mid- to late-19th-century, Austin fit the image of a routinely violent frontier town.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
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After all, Concrete Cowboy isn’t set in the great wide open of the American frontier.—
Sezin Devi Keohler,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Details are carefully considered, with blackout curtains, an air conditioning unit in the headboard, a mosquito net canopy, and a large wardrobe stocked with robes, slippers, a yoga mat, and other bush essentials.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Mar. 2026
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While spraying the foliage with herbicide could damage the other bushes, painting the cut ends of stumps with a paintbrush avoids that problem.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But some Iranian Americans fear that their native country could descend into chaos, as Iraq did after the 2003 American invasion.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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This issue will keep getting worse — and lost dollars will continue to grow — if our country’s leaders fail to implement smart policies to prevent scams.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
6 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 14 Mar. 2026.
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