as in countryside
a rural region that forms the edge of the settled or developed part of a country
a distant backwater that didn't even have electricity at that time
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Recent Examples of backwater
More:Climate change imperils the upper Mississippi River backwaters.
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Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 24 May 2024
My journey ended in Kerala's serene backwaters, at Kayal Island Retreat on the island of Kakkathuruthu.
—Vasudha Rai, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2023
The country’s transition from repressive backwater to democratic powerhouse was complete.
—Hahm Chaibong, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2018
By contrast, Argentina has remained a poor backwater thanks in part to its far-reaching price controls.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backwater 
Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 24 May 2024
My journey ended in Kerala's serene backwaters, at Kayal Island Retreat on the island of Kakkathuruthu.
—Vasudha Rai, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2023
The country’s transition from repressive backwater to democratic powerhouse was complete.
—Hahm Chaibong, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2018
By contrast, Argentina has remained a poor backwater thanks in part to its far-reaching price controls.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backwater
Noun
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Overly precocious George jumps from the train to the countryside and, in true Dickensian fashion, encounters some helpful people as well as some unsavory types on his treacherous trek back home.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Newsweek previously reported that this breed has historically been used for hunting hares in the Spanish countryside.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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With new capabilities being added to AI systems at a steady rate—in October, frontier AI lab Anthropic introduced the ability for its model to directly control a computer, still in beta—the complexity of governing this technology will only increase.Tharin Pillay, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
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This series in collaboration with the cast and crew has proven there is a hunger to explore new frontiers in an episodic format, where actors have freedom to challenge themselves and take risks.Nick Caruso, TVLine, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Midtown Manhattan appears in vivid detail, with the rest of the country—Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles—a hazy expanse of rocks, bushes, and fields on the other side of the Hudson River.Frederick Hess, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
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Spread gauze on bushes to mimic cobwebs with creepy DIY spiders.Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The virus’ spread prompted the World Health Organization in August to declare a public health emergency of international concern, particularly as the virus spread to several other neighboring countries in Africa.Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2024
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Make plans to see people from other countries or different backgrounds.Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 14 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The artist was known for creating sculptures, often using leather and tree branches, to be exhibited for the benefit of a community living in the stark, desert-like conditions of the Bahia hinterlands.Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 1 Nov. 2024
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Jeremy Strong has ignited Oscar chat with his performance in The Apprentice as Roy Cohn, Donald Trump’s mentor and lawyer during his hinterland as a property developer in Manhattan, but he’s revealed that every studio initially passed on the project.Caroline Frost, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2024
Noun
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When the idea was initially conceived, under a full moon in Australia’s outback, the pair had planned to meet and get married in the middle.Stephy Chung, CNN, 9 Oct. 2024
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The night parrot—a brilliantly colored, nocturnal bird—once thrived in Australia’s outback.Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Backwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backwater. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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