backwardness
State of underdevelopment
Backwardness is the state of being behind in development or progress.
The word often carries judgment—describing a region's economic backwardness or a society's technological backwardness implies it should catch up to some standard.
The backwardness of the rural infrastructure surprised the visiting engineers.
The term can sound condescending when applied to cultures or peoples.
Inadequate economic or social progress
- stagnationAbsence of flow or progress
- povertySevere lack of resources
- impoverishmentState of extreme deprivation
- disadvantageUnfavorable circumstance or condition
lagging · inequality · deprivation · marginalization · infrastructure · illiteracy · subsistence · scarcity
Decrease or refuse
- retrogressionMovement to earlier state
- reversalComplete change of direction
- relapseReturn to former illness
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
recession · deterioration · degeneration · atrophy · devolution · decay · worsening · backsliding
State of becoming disused
- outdatednessState of being antiquated
- archaismObsolete but preserved phrasing
- anachronismHistorical time-placement error
- old-fashionednessState of being outdated
traditionalism · conservatism · stodginess · fustiness · quaintness · datedness · primitiveness · rusticity
Delay from uncertainty
- shynessTendency toward social timidity
- timidityFearful lack of courage
- reticenceHabitual verbal restraint
- bashfulnessTimid self-consciousness
diffidence · reserve · self-consciousness · apprehension · disinclination · wariness · caution · unwillingness
Active resistance or dissent
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
- intransigenceRefusal to compromise
- stubbornnessRefusal to yield
recalcitrance · obstructionism · foot-dragging · stonewalling · pushback · entrenchment · reactionism · inertia
underdevelopment
Inadequate economic or social progress
- stagnationAbsence of flow or progress
- povertySevere lack of resources
- impoverishmentState of extreme deprivation
disadvantage · lagging · inequality · deprivation · marginalization · infrastructure · illiteracy · subsistence · scarcity · neglect
decline
Decrease or refuse
- retrogressionMovement to earlier state
- reversalComplete change of direction
- relapseReturn to former illness
retreat · recession · deterioration · degeneration · atrophy · devolution · decay · worsening · backsliding · reversion
obsolescence
State of becoming disused
- outdatednessState of being antiquated
- archaismObsolete but preserved phrasing
- anachronismHistorical time-placement error
old-fashionedness · traditionalism · conservatism · stodginess · fustiness · quaintness · datedness · primitiveness · rusticity · provincialism
hesitation
Delay from uncertainty
- shynessTendency toward social timidity
- timidityFearful lack of courage
- reticenceHabitual verbal restraint
bashfulness · diffidence · reserve · self-consciousness · apprehension · disinclination · wariness · caution · unwillingness · holdback
opposition
Active resistance or dissent
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
- intransigenceRefusal to compromise
stubbornness · recalcitrance · obstructionism · foot-dragging · stonewalling · pushback · entrenchment · reactionism · inertia · immovability
- outdatedobsolete, outdated, out of date, dated, outmoded
- gracelessnessclumsiness, awkwardness, boorishness, rudeness, vulgarity
backwardnessprogress
Movement toward improvement
development · modernity · progressiveness · modernization · advancement
backwardnesseagerness
Intense willingness to act
willingness · readiness · alacrity · forwardness · promptness
backwardnessboldness
Fearless readiness to act
forwardness · assertiveness · confidence · outgoingness · self-assurance