backwater
noun
back·wa·ter
ˈbak-ˌwȯ-tər 
-ˌwä-
1
a
: 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
2
a
: an isolated or backward place or condition
b
: an unpopular or unimportant field (as of study or business)
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
Similarly, in Anhui Province in eastern China, the city of Hefei has transformed from a poor backwater into a crucial hub for the electric vehicle industry.
—
Damien Ma, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025
The weather service said backwater flooding along the Little Miami, Great Miami and Licking rivers will also result in road closures.
—Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2025
Vigilant doctors and public health experts in charge of government policy mostly kept the anti-vaxxers relegated to the darker corners of medical discussion, and later to the backwaters of social media.
—Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
But the state’s chronically high electric rates combined with the disappearance of trust between regulators and utilities has transformed PURA from political backwater to lightning rod and Republican criticism of Lamont’s decision was immediate.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for backwater
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Damien Ma, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025
The weather service said backwater flooding along the Little Miami, Great Miami and Licking rivers will also result in road closures.
—Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2025
Vigilant doctors and public health experts in charge of government policy mostly kept the anti-vaxxers relegated to the darker corners of medical discussion, and later to the backwaters of social media.
—Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
But the state’s chronically high electric rates combined with the disappearance of trust between regulators and utilities has transformed PURA from political backwater to lightning rod and Republican criticism of Lamont’s decision was immediate.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for backwater
Cite this Entry
“Backwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backwater. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backwater
noun
back·wa·ter
ˈbak-ˌwȯt-ər
-ˌwät-
1
: water held or turned back from its course
2
: a backward place or condition
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