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

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backwoods

2 of 2

adjective

as in rural

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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
  • The scale of an investment such as this one is asymmetrical with the legal and administrative capacity of a small, rural community, said Anthony Pipa, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies development and policy in rural areas.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Maryland could end up with polka-dot districts, where neighborhoods in distant cities and rural counties are joined together with narrow tendrils to create a favorable mix of voters.
    — Colin Pascal, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of rural
Adjective
  • The government had spent the better part of a year, for instance, decentralizing its political and military bureaucracy so that provincial governors and military commanders could operate without instructions from top leaders.
    — Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Mamdani and Chow swapped notes on dealing with the constraints placed on them by their state and provincial governors, and on their respective battles over renters’ rights and the high costs of living in their cities.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 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
  • The filmmaker contrasts her bucolic nature scenes with shots of the giant ships passing by and the interiors and exteriors of the factories located near the island, belching smoke and lit up at night like a forbidding theme park.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The two set out with Ross, a raucous party boy, and the three drive to a secluded, bucolic manor.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 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 5 Oct. 2026.

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