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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.

By 2001 the paper profits pushed Ireland’s gross domestic product per capita ahead of Britain’s, fed a housing boom, and turned Dublin from a dirty backwater into a glossy tourist hub.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

Since seizing power as the kingdom’s de facto ruler in 2017, Mohammed has singularly pursued the goal of transforming the kingdom from a cultural and geopolitical backwater into a force on the world stage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

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

But the proposed move has largely been perceived as banishing the journalist to a TV backwater where viewers and advertisers dollars are scant.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2025

Thanks to the wagering ban, the only places for it to go were seedy tracks, backwater ovals so small they were called “bullrings,” and dirt roads, but this was Irwin’s kind of racing.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand




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