1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

backwoods 1 of 2

plural noun

ˈbak-ˈwu̇dz How to pronounce backwoods (audio)
Definition of backwoodsnext
as in countryside
a rural region that forms the edge of the settled or developed part of a country lived far out in the backwoods and raised hogs for a living

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

backwoods

2 of 2

adjective

as in rural

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 backwoods
Adjective
The Curse of Buckout Road Witches burning at the stake, backwoods albino killers and a modern day stalker prove to be more than urban legends on this New York state byway. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2019 The weekend gets going on Friday with music from Gator Nate, the lovable backwoods yahoo and role model for many a UF pledge. — Ben Crandell, sun-sentinel.com, 22 Aug. 2019 Clustered among pine forests and sunny prairies along scenic backwoods roads 20 miles south of town, Perkins Tank and JD Dam Lake comprise a water-centric tour of the Kaibab National Forest’s southern sector. — Mare Czinar, azcentral, 5 July 2019 Think of the backwoods ranger and Minuteman, the Confederate cavalry officer, the flying ace of World War I, the commando, the Green Beret and SEAL. — John F. Ross, WSJ, 4 June 2019 See All Example Sentences for backwoods
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backwoods
  1. rural
  2. provincial
  3. countrified
  4. country
  5. bucolic
Adjective
  • Farmers fight back The land rush is visible in its starkest relief in rural America, where wide-open farmland with grid access can be worth a lot more for its computational, rather than agricultural, potential.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026
  • As of April, more than 1,500 new data centers were in development across the United States, according to a Pew Research Center analysis, largely in rural areas.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of rural
Adjective
  • The provincial government says the investment will strengthen aerospace capacity and support skilled employment in the province.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Twenty whales — 19 belugas and one killer whale — had died at Marineland since 2019, according to provincial government data obtained through Freedom-of-Information laws and official statements.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of provincial
Adjective
  • Lines that seem artlessly off-the-cuff on first pass accrue an unexpected weight and purpose the fourth time through; the countrified guitar lick that sounds so chipper at the start of a song is dripping with melancholy by the end.
    — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 4 June 2026
  • Timed to coincide with Cactus League spring training, the countrified Innings Fest offshoot is in its third year, bringing 20 artists with no overlapping sets to two main stages.
    — Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Definition of countrified
Adjective
  • But also multi-country emigration tales, as in Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Previous World Cups were concentrated within one nation, but this year supporters often crossed international borders, making the multi-country experience part of the tournament's appeal.
    — Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of country
Adjective
  • Those realistic works contrast with more romantic views of farming, which some artists filtered through a bucolic lens that no doubt concealed a grimmer reality.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
  • So was avoiding the easy version of a Connecticut show, one dominated by recent Yale MFAs or famous artists with country houses up north in the bucolic Litchfield hills.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of bucolic

Browse Nearby Words

backwater
backwoods
backwoodsman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backwoods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backwoods. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of quorum

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All