backland

noun

back·​land ˈbak-ˌland How to pronounce backland (audio)
: backcountry, hinterland
usually used in plural

Examples of backland in a Sentence

they purposely vacationed in the backlands to get away from people
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But more migrants, moving farther into remote backlands to elude the Border Patrol, have died in scorching desert heat, a shameful indicator that enforcement is having an effect in many places. Julia Preston, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2024 His protagonist, living in direst poverty in Brazil’s arid backlands, decides to migrate to the wealthier coast. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 1 Dec. 2019 Born in the arid backlands of Brazil’s north-east, Mr Gilberto arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 as a singer in one of the then-fashionable vocal ensembles. The Economist, 11 July 2019 Tucked in the emerald backlands of Fayetteville, Georgia, inside a cavernous soundstage at Pinewood Studios, Mara Brock-Akil is in full field marshall mode. Jason Parham, WIRED, 19 June 2018 Patrícia Santos da Silva, 24, and her family live in the city of Santana do Ipanema, in the western backlands of Alagoas. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 1 Nov. 2017 Some escaped and formed clandestine communities in the backlands of the rainforest, independent villages known as quilombos. Smithsonian, 21 Sep. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1683, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backland was in 1683

Dictionary Entries Near backland

Cite this Entry

“Backland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backland. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!