# backwater

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #35,192

## Definitions
1. The water held back by a dam or other obstruction.
2. A remote place: somewhere that remains unaffected by new events, progresses, ideas, 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. Water used in the papermaking process. Recycled to reduce usage of fresh water, and usually containing residual amounts of chemicals and fibres.

## Etymology
From back + water.

## Easily confused with
- **blackwater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/backwater-vs-blackwater)

## Common misspellings (14)
`abckwater`, `bacckwater`, `backawter`, `backkwater`, `backwaetr`, `backwaterr`, `backwatre`, `backwatter`, `backwtaer`, `backwwater`, `bacwkater`, `bakcwater`, `bbackwater`, `bcakwater`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/backwater