outback

noun

ˈau̇t-ˈbak How to pronounce outback (audio)
Definition of outbacknext
as in countryside
a rural region that forms the edge of the settled or developed part of a country people who live in the Australian outback tend to be self-sufficient

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of outback Observe black cockatoos preen in the drooping she-oaks, or marvel at the Dali-esque outback, filled with its skeletal mallee trees. — Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 19 June 2026 Once the work is complete, the capsule reenters the atmosphere at some 18,000 miles per hour, parachuting down with a bump in the Australian outback. — Ramin Skibba, Scientific American, 15 May 2026 The Deb dispute is playing out across different fronts in Los Angeles and Australia, overshadowing the feel-good movie about outback teens attending a debutante ball. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026 The changes bring a bit of the Australian outback to the zoo for koalas, which are an endangered species. — Cody Jackson, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outback
  1. countryside
  2. bush
  3. frontier
  4. hinterland
  5. country
  6. backcountry
  7. backwater
Noun
  • Another theory is that with the fall harvest nearly complete, now is a relatively safe time to deport farmworkers in the countryside without immediately worrying about empty shelves in supermarkets, Mejia said.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Oakley, who previously directed the 2022 drama Blue Jean, has a deft touch with the material and a deep respect for the English countryside setting.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of countryside
Noun
  • Just before dusk, four or five does walked under the tree, and then a four-point buck followed, stopping beneath me to rub his antlers on a bush.
    — Al Dawson, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Tortoises routinely seek shade under dense bushes, vanish into mangroves, or shelter from the scorching equatorial sun.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of bush
Noun
  • Shilov noted that an emerging problem in the AI ecosystem is that basically anyone doing interesting safety work is likely to be contracted by frontier labs, potentially compromising their work.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The founders intend to keep testing new frontiers, with one tweak to the company’s leadership ranks.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of frontier
Noun
  • In the hinterlands of Patagonia, ranching outposts tend to share a common set of features.
    — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • His solo debut, Heavy Metal, landed softly in the December hinterlands of 2024, and with it a murmuration of these little fibs.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of hinterland
Noun
  • The 20 countries at greatest risk of a worsening humanitarian crisis, ranked by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) annually in our Emergency Watchlist, represent just 12% of the global population, but 90% of those in humanitarian need.
    — David Miliband, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Many other countries and even continents would kill to have this level of ingenuity on their shores.
    — Sarah Cannon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of country
Noun
  • Pristine roadless backcountry may also be opened to development and extraction.
    — Mary Beth Laughton, Time, 14 Oct. 2026
  • That site is considered the most remote of Michigan's state park system, with trails, backcountry camping and six small lakes.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of backcountry
Noun
  • Navigate the biodiverse backwaters of Choctawhatchee Bay or visit Destin, the perfect beach town for kiteboarding and snorkeling.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • No one predicted the sleepy backwater of Sassnitz would be rebranded ‘Crashnitz’ or ‘Smashnitz’ by the end of the first edition of the German Sail Grand Prix last year.
    — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of backwater

Browse Nearby Words

out at elbows
outback
outbalance
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Cite this Entry

“Outback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outback. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on outback

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about outback

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