noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

outback

OWT-bak

Outback (noun) means Australia's vast, sparsely populated interior, much of it arid desert far from major cities. Example: “They drove for hours through the outback without seeing another car.”

noun

Australia's vast, sparsely populated interior, much of it arid desert far from major cities.

"They drove for hours through the outback without seeing another car."

"Life in the outback means dealing with extreme heat and isolation."

How to use outback

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAustralia's remote, rugged interior country.

Common pairings

the Australian outback outback towns trek through the outback

Word forms

more outback comparative, outbacked past tense, outbacks plural, outbacks singular, most outback superlative

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They drove for hours through the _____ without seeing another car.

Etymology

Formed simply from "out" plus "back," describing land far back from settled coastal areas.

Frequently asked questions

What does “outback” mean?

The word “outback” means australia's vast, sparsely populated interior, much of it arid desert far from major cities. In plain terms, australia's remote, rugged interior country.

How do you pronounce “outback”?

“Outback” is pronounced OWT-bak (/ˈaʊtbæk/ in IPA).

How do you use “outback” in a sentence?

Here is “outback” used in a sentence: “They drove for hours through the outback without seeing another car.”

What part of speech is “outback”?

“Outback” is a noun.

Is “outback” a common word?

“Outback” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

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