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 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 On Wednesday, April 23, the star, 50, exclusively opened up to PEOPLE about the filming process of her new Netflix action thriller Apex, which is set in the Australian outback, at the movie's NYC premiere. — Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026 Both Benna and Einhorn were used to André pitching outrageous concepts in conversation over the years, whether in regard to a new client or a road trip involving some remote outback and hallucinogens. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 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
  • What initially appeared to be a simple family vacation may ultimately have marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Sussexes, who are said to have chosen to settle in the Cotswolds, in the heart of the English countryside.
    — Mathilde Engelmann, Vanity Fair, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The festival stayed at the replacement site, and the Iowa countryside became woven into its identity.
    — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of countryside
Noun
  • Pyne has juniper bushes and blue spruces growing alongside ponderosa pines.
    — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Nearby, blueberry bushes cover old foxholes, trenches and deep craters from artillery fire.
    — Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bush
Noun
  • Earlier this month, Nvidia announced a program to help these types of companies as well as frontier labs access financing from six major financial firms.
    — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Reinforcement learning and post-training have become central to the push to make frontier models better at reasoning, coding, and carrying out multistep tasks.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of frontier
Noun
  • In the blizzardy hinterlands, boredom is driving two soldiers mad, and a stranger’s arrival only underscores the futility of the war’s propaganda.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Putin began a neo-imperialist land grab, seizing territory around Russia’s hinterlands.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
Definition of hinterland
Noun
  • Some officials argue that would let Iceland keep control of its waters, since no EU country has fished there for decades.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Economic impact of low birth rates Persistently low birth rates could threaten a country’s ability to sustain its economy.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of country
Noun
  • The desert’s location on the southern border has led to many migrants attempting to cross it by using dangerous backcountry routes, the experts said.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • For people heading into the backcountry, the Forest Service recommends using bear-resistant food containers and storing food away from campsites.
    — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of backcountry
Noun
  • 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
  • Few ideas on Wall Street have been better than the reinvention of insurance from stodgy backwater to dealmakers’ playground.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of backwater

Browse Nearby Words

out at elbows
outback
outbalance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outback. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on outback

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about outback

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