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
Brad Raffensperger, Georgia Secretary of State Schmidt’s counterpart in Georgia similarly would prefer the job as elections chief had remained a bureaucratic backwater.
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Philip Elliott, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
The last time the eye of a major storm like Hurricane Milton struck Tampa Bay, in 1921, the city was a sleepy backwater of a few hundred thousand people.
—Terry Spencer, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for backwater 
Philip Elliott, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
The last time the eye of a major storm like Hurricane Milton struck Tampa Bay, in 1921, the city was a sleepy backwater of a few hundred thousand people.
—Terry Spencer, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for backwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backwater
Noun
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But Valcourt pays considerably less in rent and says fresh, quality food is affordable in the French countryside.Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 25 Dec. 2024
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As the little girl shouts warmer, Bri continues to drive recklessly through the Scottish countryside.Lincee Ray, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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With leading labs rolling out increasingly capable models every few months, the need for new tests to assess frontier capabilities is greater than ever.Tharin Pillay, TIME, 24 Dec. 2024
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Building frontier models is a tough business to be in.Rob Toews, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Another legend claims that the Virgin Mary changed the color of rosemary flowers from white to blue after draping her blue cloak over a white-blossomed bush.Nina Foster, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
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One member of our group has a habit of squatting in the river to urinate instead of going behind a bush and dropping her drawers.Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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An easy monetary policy typically weakens a country’s currency, making exports cheaper and potentially supports growth in the face of tariffs.Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
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Many European countries like France, Germany, and Spain are impacted by a similar increase, taking monthly prices from €16 to €21.Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Not every hike has to be in the hinterlands to feel iconic.Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
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His time in Dylan’s home state, Chalamet says, reminded him of his visits to the French hinterlands.Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Watch on Hulu The Royal Hotel Ozark star Julia Garner reunites with director Kitty Green (The Assistant) for this taut psychological thriller in which BFFs Hanna (Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick) decide to backpack their way through the Australian outback.Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 7 Nov. 2024
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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
Thesaurus Entries Near backwater
Cite this Entry
“Backwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backwater. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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