backwater
noun
back·wa·ter
ˈbak-ˌwȯ-tər 
-ˌwä-
1
a
: water backed up in its course by an obstruction, an opposing current, or the tide
b
: a body of water (such as an inlet or tributary) that is out of the main current of a larger body
2
a
: an isolated or backward place or condition
b
: an unpopular or unimportant field (as of study or business)
Synonyms
Examples of backwater in a Sentence
The once sleepy backwater is now a thriving city.
a distant backwater that didn't even have electricity at that time
Recent Examples on the Web
Just as Peter’s moving of his court transformed Moscow into a backwater for out-of-favor nobles, Carson’s helped to usher out the era when the Big Apple could claim to have cultural parity with Hollywood.
—
Isaac Butler, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2024
Their opposition is threatening to not only turn the U.S. into a technological backwater, but also to imperil our country’s status as the world’s only superpower.
—Laura Shin, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
The remote lifestyle may not be for everyone —living on the backwaters comes with fewer conveniences.
—Mary Forgione, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
The serene backwater adjacent to the mounds is connected to the Mississippi River's main channel by Johnson Slough.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backwater 
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.
Isaac Butler, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2024
Their opposition is threatening to not only turn the U.S. into a technological backwater, but also to imperil our country’s status as the world’s only superpower.
—Laura Shin, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
The remote lifestyle may not be for everyone —living on the backwaters comes with fewer conveniences.
—Mary Forgione, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
The serene backwater adjacent to the mounds is connected to the Mississippi River's main channel by Johnson Slough.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backwater
Dictionary Entries Near backwater
Cite this Entry
“Backwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backwater. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backwater
noun
back·wa·ter
ˈbak-ˌwȯt-ər
-ˌwät-
1
: water held or turned back from its course
2
: a backward place or condition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share