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
As search after search came up dry, mathematicians eventually ran out of steam, and the problem became a backwater.
—
Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 5 May 2025
The folksy 72-year-old Louisianan has been training horses since 1991 and has had success, but mostly with cheap horses running for small prizes in racing’s backwaters.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 4 May 2025
Shad like to gather in dense shoals in river backwaters, especially areas with warm water outflows from industrial operations, according to the DNR.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2025
The setup is also familiar but effective: A water conflict on a backwater planet.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backwater
Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 5 May 2025
The folksy 72-year-old Louisianan has been training horses since 1991 and has had success, but mostly with cheap horses running for small prizes in racing’s backwaters.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 4 May 2025
Shad like to gather in dense shoals in river backwaters, especially areas with warm water outflows from industrial operations, according to the DNR.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2025
The setup is also familiar but effective: A water conflict on a backwater planet.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backwater
Noun
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Farmhouse style—seen in farmhouse living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms—seems to have ventured out of the countryside and popped up all over the world throughout the last decade.—
Amelia Mularz,
Architectural Digest,
17 June 2025
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Plus, exploring the countryside on outdoorsy adventures like road trips is easy: Portugal has more than 5,000 electric vehicle charge points.—
Chloe Arrojado,
AFAR Media,
16 June 2025
Noun
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Scholars have often argued that the minimum characteristic of a great power is the ability to decisively shape outcomes in the region beyond its immediate frontiers.—
ASHLEY J. TELLIS,
Foreign Affairs,
17 June 2025
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As deepfakes and cyberthreats become more sophisticated, the next frontier of digital trust will be defined by the balance between absolute security and fundamental privacy rights.—
Rohan Pinto,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Noun
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Said was seen on surveillance video and appeared to toss an item into a bush, the affidavit said.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
12 June 2025
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On May 5, the sanctuary got a call about a kangaroo hopping down the road in St. Cloud and helped corner him in some bushes.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 June 2025
Noun
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The Republican president earlier told reporters that the U.S. was soon preparing to send letters to different countries, informing them of the new tariff rate his administration would impose on them.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
28 June 2025
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Decoding The Gas Buyer’s Mindset For a country that has revolved around the automobile for almost a century, gas prices are part of American culture.—
Linnea Geiss,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
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The film gathers immoral cops, ruthless women and corrupt politicians to complete the world of populist cinema based in hinterlands of India.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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Oklahoma City and Indianapolis are out-of-the-way markets, their stars don’t move the needle, a Finals in the (supposed) hinterlands will send the national TV ratings into the tank, etc.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
6 June 2025
Noun
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In northeastern Australia, more than a year’s worth of rain fell in just one week in March, kicking off rare flooding and a massive transformation throughout the country’s arid outback.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2025
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But now, gin’s gone global, with new flavors popping up everywhere, from the Aussie outback to the U.S. West Coast.—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backwater. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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