backwater

/ˈbækˌwɔtər/
adjective
  1. Isolated, stagnant, or behind the times.
    • They moved away from the backwater village to find better opportunities.
    • The backwater economy relied entirely on subsistence farming.
    • Her backwater upbringing made it hard to adjust to city life.
noun
  1. A part of a river not reached by the current, where the water is still or stagnant.
    • The backwater was full of lily pads and frogs.
    • After the flood, the backwater remained for weeks.
    • We paddled our canoe into a quiet backwater to watch the birds.
  2. A place or situation that is isolated, stagnant, or behind the times, especially in terms of culture, technology, or progress.
    • That small town was considered a cultural backwater until the new university opened.
    • The company's IT department was a backwater, still using outdated software.
    • He felt trapped in a backwater job with no chance of advancement.
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