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backwater

noun
back·​wa·​ter | \ ˈbak-ËŒwȯ-tÉ™r How to pronounce backwater (audio) , -ËŒwä-\

Definition of backwater

1a : 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
2a : an isolated or backward place or condition
b : an unpopular or unimportant field (as of study or business)
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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

 The nonprofit state agency that oversees the dam, the Grand River Dam Authority, disputes that a backwater effect exists and denies causing flooding upstream. — Sarah Mervosh, New York Times, "A Senator’s Lake House vs. a Town Fighting Flooding," 27 Aug. 2019 Proponents of the pumps say much of the flooding could have been avoided if pumps were installed at the Steele Bayou Control structure to push backwater out. — USA TODAY, "Milestone rhino, Bigfoot shooting, jailed for feeding cats: News from around our 50 states," 1 Aug. 2019 Powerboaters running those backwaters where blind curves and narrow waters increase the chances of sudden encounters with kayaks or even other powerboats should be particularly watchful. — Shannon Tompkins, ExpressNews.com, "On the water, be safe and be nice, too," 20 July 2019 Shepard kept returning there, to the troubled backwaters that in the past four years nearly everyone on the coasts has come to call, patronizingly, forgotten America. — Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, "Sam Shepard Saw It All Coming," 11 July 2019 As Sarah Lewis’ set design — arches covered with paintings of lush greenery — suggests, this Surrey backwater is a soft, bucolic place. — Kerry Reid, chicagotribune.com, "'Emma' at Lifeline Theatre: Jane Austen's matchmaking story is played for warmth and laughs," 6 June 2019 Unlike most of Arizona’s other dry desert refuges, the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge hosts backwater lakes and wetlands. — Jeannette Hinkle, azcentral, "Arizona's national wildlife refuges add millions to the economy, according to study," 12 July 2019 The Wizards Unite on-boarding process, in particular, feels like a detour into some backwater Pottermore forum. — Brian Barrett, WIRED, "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite," 25 June 2019 First announced back at The Game Awards, the game looks to blend the first person RPG gameplay of Fallout with a somewhat over-the-top sci-fi universe, that takes place on what looks like a backwater planet. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, "The 14 biggest announcements for Microsoft Xbox at E3 2019," 9 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'backwater.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of backwater

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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More Definitions for backwater

backwater

noun
How to pronounce backwater (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of backwater

: a part of a river where the water moves slowly because it is away from the main part of the river
: a quiet place (such as a town or village) where there is little activity, excitement, progress, etc.

See the full definition for backwater in the English Language Learners Dictionary

More from Merriam-Webster on backwater

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with backwater

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for backwater

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