Synonyms: isolated place, backwoods, remote place, sleepy town More Synonyms of backwater
2. countable noun
If you refer to a place or institution as a backwater, you think it is not developing properly because it is isolated from ideas and events in other places and institutions.
[disapproval]
Britain could become a political backwater with no serious influence in the world.
This agency will be relegated to the backwaters of Washington.
backwater in British English
(ˈbækˌwɔːtə)
noun
1.
a body of stagnant water connected to a river
2.
water held or driven back, as by a dam, flood, or tide
3.
an isolated, backward, or intellectually stagnant place or condition
verbback water
4. (intransitive)
to reverse the direction of a boat, esp to push the oars of a rowing boat
backwater in American English
(ˈbækˌwɔtər)
noun
1.
water moved backward or held back by a dam, tide, etc.
2.
stagnant water in a small stream or inlet
3.
a place or condition regarded as stagnant, backward, etc.
a cultural backwater
adjective
4.
like a backwater; backward
Examples of 'backwater' in a sentence
backwater
She had never been stuck in a dull suburban backwater like this.
Peter Robinson AFTERMATH (2001)
But there was no apparent reason for anybody to harbour idle curiosity about this particular backwater.
Val McDermid THE LAST TEMPTATION (2001)
You couldn't have missed it, not even in that backwater of yours.