What does "backwater" mean?
The water held back by a dam or other obstruction.
Backwater
name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·3 syllables ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The water held back by a dam or other obstruction.
- Grammar: backwater is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abjure, arrest, back, back away.
- Useful contrasts: central region, clear flow, connected.
- Usage evidence: Tom and Mary live in a backwater part of the country.
How to use "backwater"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "backwater" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "backwater" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "backwater" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "backwater" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "backwater" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abjure" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "backwater", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The water held back by a dam or other obstruction.
"[…] The backwater separates the main line from Hinksey marshalling yards"
- 2 a place or condition in which no development or progress is occurring wordnet
- 3 A remote place: somewhere that remains unaffected by new events, progresses, ideas, etc; any field of endeavor that figuratively resembles such a place. figuratively, idiomatic, usually
"Near-synonyms: (place) jerkwater town, one-horse town, Podunk; see also Thesaurus:remote place"
- 4 a body of water that was created by a flood or tide or by being held or forced back by a dam wordnet
- 5 A rowing stroke in which the oar is pushed forward to stop the boat; see back water
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Water used in the papermaking process. Recycled to reduce usage of fresh water, and usually containing residual amounts of chemicals and fibres.
"The back-water (overflow) can be used for "thinning down" the chests when emptying. If "Wastive" does this, his mind will be at ease regarding waste of pulp, and his machine-men will be happy and do their work much better than by trying to use all the back-water on the paper machine."
Verb
- 1 To row or paddle a backwater stroke.
- 2 To vacillate on a long-held position. idiomatic
Proper Noun
- 1 A locality in the Armidale council area, north-eastern New South Wales, Australia.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Tom and Mary live in a backwater part of the country."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "backwater"?
Common synonyms include: abjure, arrest, back, back away, back down, back off.
How do you use "backwater" in a sentence?
Tom and Mary live in a backwater part of the country.
Etymology
From back + water.