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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The sun was getting ready to rise over a rural lake in Green Lake County, Wisconsin, when a sheriff's deputy shined his flashlight inside Ryan Borgwardt's minivan parked just yards away from the water's edge.—
Jared Kofsky,
ABC News,
10 Sep. 2025
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Advertisement Reversing the Roadless Rule would slam the door shut on those local, often rural businesses that rely on recreation visitors only to roll out the red carpet to mining, timber corporations and the fossil fuel industry.—
Ryan Gellert,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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One particularly notable viral video featured the son of a provincial government minister posing in front of a tree made from boxes of luxury labels including Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Gucci.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
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The provincial assembly for the Gandaki province in Pokhara, Nepal’s second largest city, was set on fire, as well as the Siraha District Court in southeast Nepal, and at least a dozen government buildings across the Rupandehi province and the Gautam Buddha International Airport in the area.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 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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From romantic florals to elegant damasks and bucolic toile scenes, old-world wallpaper is making a grand and graceful return.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
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Visitors who can’t get enough of the Botanic Garden’s bucolic vibe can stroll from there to the Water of Leith Walkway.—
Jeanine Barone,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backwoods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backwoods. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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