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Definitions

backwater

[bak-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈbækˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər /


ADJECTIVE
back country
Synonyms




Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Not long ago, China was a backwater for drug research.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

When I visited Xingguo, it remained an economic backwater.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

It had about three houses, and right in the middle there was a sign over a building saying “Casino,” and it had a slot machine in, so it was a real American backwater.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2025

Decades of investment in infrastructure and training have taken China from a sporting backwater to a medal-winning machine that recently equalled the United States with 40 golds at the Paris Olympics.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2025

It creates a backwater eddy—a dimple, if you will.

From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings




Vocabulary lists containing backwater