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
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
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
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
Adjective
-
Planes also play a critical role in elections, getting voting materials and ballots to and from rural precincts such as Beaver and in delivering ballots for thousands of Alaskans who vote by mail -- some in places where in-person voting is not available.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Five days later, her body was found in rural Johnson County.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated March 21,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This inquiry into police corruption stems from a dramatic news conference last year by a provincial police officer, who accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and senior police officers of having links with organized crime.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Saturday night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs is one of two games available for purchase against their provincial rival, and the Pittsburgh Penguins (on Thursday), purely off the allure of Sidney Crosby and the fans who come to see him and his star teammates, is part of the offer.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
The look blended ornate embroidery with a Western spin, merging high fashion with Wilson’s countrified finesse.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
17 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The expansion broadens the company’s country coverage and operational capacity, reflecting a shift away from step-by-step market entry toward multi-country team building.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
Sacbee.com,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Signs of a shift were apparent when Iam Tongi, a young reggae talent from Hawaii, and proud Mormon, became Idol’s first non-country winner in three years.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Rolling Stone,
25 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Monteverdi is a place that invites you to embrace the slow rhythms of Tuscany, surrounded by nature in the UNESCO protected setting of the bucolic Val d’Orcia.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Which is the next big step in putting this bucolic area on the map – as one of the largest data center campuses in the world.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backwoods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backwoods. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
