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 stablecoins were long a crypto backwater, the recent surge in interest rates has turned USDC into a money-printing machine for both companies, which split the proceeds.
—
Byjeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 22 Aug. 2023
That includes 512 acres of marsh and 360 acres of backwaters.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 30 June 2023
But the Utes already have mined a whole lot of talent out of the backwaters in that footprint, especially Texas.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Aug. 2023
Castelli had little interest in it, and in the mid-twentieth century—when Americans were creating the most dazzling art—the secondary business was perceived as a backwater by some dealers.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 24 July 2023
Its residents, most of whom are Black, live with the risk of flooding from backwater levees along the Yazoo; a fifth of the residents are under the federal poverty line.
—Richard Fausset, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2023
Set in a backwater Louisiana police station during a hurricane, the film isn’t shy about serving up its big, nasty human-torso-meets-jaws moments.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 July 2023
Exacerbating Inequalities For a century and a half, the South has struggled to overcome its position as America’s economic backwater.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas News, 10 July 2023
Because of their broad range, which includes places as remote as backwaters, small lagoons, and even the rainforest, estimates of their population have been hard to gauge—but one thing is for sure.
—Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 3 July 2023
See More
Byjeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 22 Aug. 2023
That includes 512 acres of marsh and 360 acres of backwaters.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 30 June 2023
But the Utes already have mined a whole lot of talent out of the backwaters in that footprint, especially Texas.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Aug. 2023
Castelli had little interest in it, and in the mid-twentieth century—when Americans were creating the most dazzling art—the secondary business was perceived as a backwater by some dealers.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 24 July 2023
Its residents, most of whom are Black, live with the risk of flooding from backwater levees along the Yazoo; a fifth of the residents are under the federal poverty line.
—Richard Fausset, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2023
Set in a backwater Louisiana police station during a hurricane, the film isn’t shy about serving up its big, nasty human-torso-meets-jaws moments.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 July 2023
Exacerbating Inequalities For a century and a half, the South has struggled to overcome its position as America’s economic backwater.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas News, 10 July 2023
Because of their broad range, which includes places as remote as backwaters, small lagoons, and even the rainforest, estimates of their population have been hard to gauge—but one thing is for sure.
—Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 3 July 2023
See More
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.
Word History
First Known Use
1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Dictionary Entries Near backwater
Cite this Entry
“Backwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backwater. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
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Kids 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
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