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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backwoods
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
Plural noun
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
Adjective
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Another con was having fewer options in rural or suburban regions.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Sep. 2025
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In The History of Sound, Mescal plays Lionel Worthing, a talented singer from rural Kentucky who leaves his family farm to attend the Boston Music Conservatory.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The trial also resulted in five other convictions of hospital and provincial health officials for concealment and omission-of-duty counts, the Buenos Aires Times and Chequeado reported.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
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Most of the injured were taken to Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre by air and land, a spokesperson for the provincial health organization Shared Health said in a statement to CNN.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Its twanging guitars and pounding drums scan as countrified classic rock, but every element seems muffled, as if emanating from an iPhone lost in a couch.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
26 July 2025
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Riverfront Stage: Georgia native Gavin Adcock (June 5, 3:10 p.m.) is a hard-living countrified rock favorite gaining in streaming renown.—
Joyce Orlando,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Fellow country singer Luke Bryan is also returning as a judge, making Lionel Richie the only non-country artist in a prominent role on the show.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
4 Feb. 2025
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To some, the look echoed what has been a big night for country music—especially for non-country musicians.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2024
Adjective
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The data center would replace more than a dozen bucolic parcels off I-74 and bordered by South Post Road, East Troy Avenue, Davis Road and Vandergriff Road.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
30 Aug. 2025
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For Americans, hearing the brand name Farm Rio can evoke visions of a bucolic agricultural entity, complete with animals in pastures, big red barns, and crops.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backwoods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backwoods. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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