backwater
noun
back·wa·ter
ˈbak-ˌwȯ-tər 
-ˌwä-
1
a
: water backed up in its course by an obstruction, an opposing current, or the tide
b
: a body of water (such as an inlet or tributary) that is out of the main current of a larger body
2
a
: an isolated or backward place or condition
b
: an unpopular or unimportant field (as of study or business)
Synonyms
Examples of backwater in a Sentence
The once sleepy backwater is now a thriving city.
a distant backwater that didn't even have electricity at that time
Recent Examples on the Web
While the backwaters are a star attraction, the state offers much more to explore, from the tea plantations of Munnar, known for its cool climate and seemingly endless rolling hills, to the historic city of Kochi, celebrated in equal measure for its rich coastal history and contemporary art scene.
—
Margot Bigg, Travel + Leisure, 28 Jan. 2024
The fish were historically found in backwaters and sloughs along the lower Colorado River and in slow-moving seeps and streams in the Salton Sink basin, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
The fish put a deep bend in her plug rod and fought doggedly in the backwater slough off the Ohio River in West Virginia.
—Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 21 Mar. 2024
More:Climate change imperils the upper Mississippi River backwaters.
—Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024
But given the lack of cricket grounds in the cricket backwater, with the popular British Commonwealth sport played on unique dimensions, New York slate of matches will be played at the 34,000-seat modular stadium in Eisenhower Park, which is 30 miles east of Manhattan.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
At the time, recurrent neural networks—once an academic backwater—had suddenly started outperforming other methods of AI engineering.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024
That legislation, which went into effect in 2018, transformed data regulation, once seen as a legal backwater, into a prominent area, and elevated many women working in it into the spotlight.
—Stephanie Bodoni, Fortune Europe, 8 Mar. 2024
In 1923, avid fisherman Will Dilg learned of a plan to drain the Mississippi River's backwater sloughs near Lansing, Iowa, to turn into farmland.
—Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2024
Margot Bigg, Travel + Leisure, 28 Jan. 2024
The fish were historically found in backwaters and sloughs along the lower Colorado River and in slow-moving seeps and streams in the Salton Sink basin, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
The fish put a deep bend in her plug rod and fought doggedly in the backwater slough off the Ohio River in West Virginia.
—Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 21 Mar. 2024
More:Climate change imperils the upper Mississippi River backwaters.
—Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024
But given the lack of cricket grounds in the cricket backwater, with the popular British Commonwealth sport played on unique dimensions, New York slate of matches will be played at the 34,000-seat modular stadium in Eisenhower Park, which is 30 miles east of Manhattan.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
At the time, recurrent neural networks—once an academic backwater—had suddenly started outperforming other methods of AI engineering.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024
That legislation, which went into effect in 2018, transformed data regulation, once seen as a legal backwater, into a prominent area, and elevated many women working in it into the spotlight.
—Stephanie Bodoni, Fortune Europe, 8 Mar. 2024
In 1923, avid fisherman Will Dilg learned of a plan to drain the Mississippi River's backwater sloughs near Lansing, Iowa, to turn into farmland.
—Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backwater.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near backwater
Cite this Entry
“Backwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backwater. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backwater
noun
back·wa·ter
ˈbak-ˌwȯt-ər
-ˌwät-
1
: water held or turned back from its course
2
: a backward place or condition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share