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
Relevance
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
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
-
Coastal meets countryside at the Fasano Punta del Este in Uruguay.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Syria’s Ministry of Interior said Monday that security forces had recaptured 81 of the 120 ISIS prisoners who escaped from the al-Shaddadi prison in the Hasakah countryside and were continuing efforts to track down the remaining escapees.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Now the birds’ favored nesting habitats, the native pisonia trees and octopus bushes, are back.—
Susan Casey,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The tracks of Eastern cottontail are also a common sight — especially near thickets of chokecherry, elderberry and other bushes that provide safe shelter.—
Susan Koch,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Quick, frequent rail connections between a large city and its hinterland are a fundamental of modern economic geography.—
F.K. Plous,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
-
To go from the hinterlands and winterlands of Green Bay to Miami, where people save all year to go on vacation, is jarring enough.—
Greg Cote
January 22,
Miami Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Arctic is no longer a frozen backwater.—
Paul McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
-
But Dooley wasn’t satisfied remaining in the cinematic backwater that was 1980s Cuba.—
Julian Sancton,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Last year, country trio Rascal Flatts came roaring back to life with their first tour since 2019.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The diplomatic fallout has been reworked into cooperation between the two countries.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The musical comedy, chronicling the lives of outback Aussie teens attending a debutante ball, was due to release today, January 15, in Australia.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
15 Jan. 2026
-
From long-distance outback touring to coastal van life, Australian travelers rely on consistent power for fridges, lighting, and essential electronics.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Strategics keep sharpening their focus on India as a next frontier for beauty.—
Jennifer Weil,
Footwear News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Across industries and institutions, people are confronting an unfamiliar frontier.—
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Time,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backland.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backland. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
