Dictionary Home »
Dictionary Definitions » backwater
backwater
The definition of backwater is a body of water that is held back by an obstruction such as a dam or tide.
(noun)A lagoon that was formed when a sand bar interrupted the return flow to the ocean is an example of backwater.
YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2013 by LoveToKnow Corp.
See backwater in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun
- water moved backward or held back by a dam, tide, etc.
- stagnant water in a small stream or inlet
- a place or condition regarded as stagnant, backward, etc.: a cultural backwater
adjective
like a backwater; backward
See backwater in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- a. Water held or pushed back by or as if by a dam or current.b. A body of water thus formed.
- A place or situation regarded as isolated, stagnant, or backward: “The running of family fortunes has always been a backwater—albeit a lucrative one—of the investment management business” (Business Week).
- A rowing or paddling stroke in which the oar or paddle is pushed forward, used to check a boat's forward motion or move it backward.
Learn more about backwater
