Definition of backlandnext
as in countryside
usually backlands plural a rural region that forms the edge of the settled or developed part of a country they purposely vacationed in the backlands to get away from people

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of backland But more migrants, moving farther into remote backlands to elude the Border Patrol, have died in scorching desert heat, a shameful indicator that enforcement is having an effect in many places. Julia Preston, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2024 His protagonist, living in direst poverty in Brazil’s arid backlands, decides to migrate to the wealthier coast. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 1 Dec. 2019 Born in the arid backlands of Brazil’s north-east, Mr Gilberto arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 as a singer in one of the then-fashionable vocal ensembles. The Economist, 11 July 2019 Tucked in the emerald backlands of Fayetteville, Georgia, inside a cavernous soundstage at Pinewood Studios, Mara Brock-Akil is in full field marshall mode. Jason Parham, WIRED, 19 June 2018 Patrícia Santos da Silva, 24, and her family live in the city of Santana do Ipanema, in the western backlands of Alagoas. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 1 Nov. 2017 Some escaped and formed clandestine communities in the backlands of the rainforest, independent villages known as quilombos. Smithsonian, 21 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backland
Noun
  • After the bright lights of the Tour, Vollering returned to the countryside this week.
    Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Boring into the ground is a lot easier on an empty lot in the countryside than on a station platform built in 1913.
    Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Pastor Richard Langness said the volunteer tripped, causing the torch to roll under a bush.
    Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Choose from a cliffside breakfast corner, a shaded patio, or a fragrant garden that includes herb bushes and citrus trees.
    Monica Mendal, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In the blizzardy hinterlands, boredom is driving two soldiers mad, and a stranger’s arrival only underscores the futility of the war’s propaganda.
    Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Putin began a neo-imperialist land grab, seizing territory around Russia’s hinterlands.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • Few ideas on Wall Street have been better than the reinvention of insurance from stodgy backwater to dealmakers’ playground.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Although Hal’s remit encompasses the entire interplanetary backwater that includes Earth, Lanterns takes place mostly in the rural American town of Rushville, Neb.
    Judy Berman, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Addressing thousands of officials and delegates at the Great Hall of the People, Xi portrayed China as a country that was facing tough times, but one that would emerge unscathed.
    Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • However, no other peer country separates the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine as the president has now ordered.
    Amanda Seitz, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Sydney Harbor will offer the latter, but eclipse chasers will head to remote areas of the Australian outback for the former.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Broken Hill Those traveling between Sydney and Adelaide will stop at this outback mining town, which has some of the world’s largest silver, lead, and zinc mineral deposits.
    Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • The Defense Ministry in Bucharest said that so far this year, Russia had attacked targets close to Romania's frontier 54 times, representing a significant increase on the 28 attacks close to the border in all of 2025.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Forward-looking brands and retailers are drawing up blueprints for the next demographic frontier — the tiniest tots born between 2025 and 2039.
    Faye Brookman, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Backland.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backland. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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