in the sticks

ADJECTIVE

distant

Synonyms

STRONGEST

far far-flung far-off inaccessible isolated obscure remote removed secluded

WEAK

a piece abroad abstracted apart arm's length asunder away backwoods beyond range far back farther further in the background in the boonies in the distance indirect middle of nowhere not home out of earshot out of range out of reach out-of-the-way outlying retired secret separate sequestered telescopic unapproachable ways wide of yonder

Antonyms

STRONGEST

approachable mingling public

WEAK

adjacent close friendly kind near nearby neighboring sympathetic warm

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It's really beautiful up there, completely in the sticks.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2023

“And that’s a tribute to those down and distances when you’re ahead in the sticks a little bit.”

From Seattle Times • Sep. 28, 2022

It's not like these places were way off out in the sticks where people couldn't know about them.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2022

In “Joyride,” an 8-year-old daughter of divorce, AJ, chauffeurs her father into a flood zone “out here in the sticks, with the coyotes and the rusted-out oil rigs.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 23, 2021

They were middle-class Haitians, Farmer said, adding that they regarded living in Cange as living in the sticks.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

in the sticks

Example Sentences

Related Words