backwater

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: blackwater, back water, back-water, backbiter, backdate, backster, bayswater, backgate, black water, bathwater, backwaters

Antonyms: blackwater, back water, back-water, backbiter, backdate, backster, bayswater, backgate, black water, bathwater, backwaters

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. The [[water]] held back by a [[dam]] or other [[obstruction]].
2. {{lb|en|idiomatic|usually|figurative}} A [[remote]] place: somewhere that remains unaffected by new [[event]]s, [[progress]]es, [[idea]]s, etc; any field of [[endeavor]] that figuratively resembles such a place.
3. A [[rowing]] [[stroke]] in which the [[oar]] is pushed forward to [[stop]] the [[boat]]; see [[back water]]
4. {{lb|en|paper industry}} Water used in the [[papermaking]] process. Recycled to reduce usage of [[fresh water]], and usually containing residual amounts of [[chemicals]] and [[fibres]].<ref>{{cite-web|en|url=https://pita.org.uk/images/PDF/Glossary_of_Terms.pdf|title=Backwater|author=Paper Industry Technical Association|work=Glossary of Papermaking Terms|passage='''BACKWATER'''<br>Water used in the papermaking process, recycled to reduce the wastage of fresh water, and normally contains residual amounts of fibres and chemicals.}}</ref>

Verb

1. To row or paddle a backwater stroke.
2. {{lb|en|idiomatic}} To [[vacillate]] on a long-held position.

Proper noun

1. {{place|en|locality|in the|carea/Armidale|north-eastern|s/New South Wales|c/Australia}}.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.