Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun backwater

2 senses of backwater

Sense 1
backwater -- (a body of water that was created by a flood or tide or by being held or forced back by a dam; "the bayous and backwaters are breeding grounds for mosquitos")
       => body of water, water -- (the part of the earth's surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean); "they invaded our territorial waters"; "they were sitting by the water's edge")

Sense 2
backwater -- (a place or condition in which no development or progress is occurring; "the country is an economic backwater")
       => region -- (a large indefinite location on the surface of the Earth; "penguins inhabit the polar regions")