Midwest

[mid-west]

noun

1. the north-central region of the United States, especially the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

adjective

1. Midwestern.

Midwest

/ ˈmɪdˈwɛst /

noun

1. the N central part of the US; the region consisting of the states from Ohio westwards that border on the Great Lakes, often extended to include the upper Mississippi and Missouri valleys

Other Word Forms

• Midwesterner noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Midwest¹

First recorded in 1890–95; mid- + west

Example Sentences

As a high school student in San José, Chavez-Garcia knew none of this history — “we learned more about the Homestead Act in the Midwest,” she joked.

From Los Angeles Times

But there is something about the Midwest that feels nostalgic.

From Los Angeles Times

In the heart of the Midwest, just across the river from Canada, Detroit has long been the beating heart of American automobile manufacturing.

From Salon

The Irish actor stars as an idealistic editor in chief of a Midwest newspaper that he’s trying to revive with the help of his ragtag staff.

From Los Angeles Times

Somehow, nearly every song from Midwest Princess has become a modern anthem, elevating the album to the status of classics like Thriller, Rumours and Back To Black.

From BBC

When To Use

What does Midwest mean?

The Midwest is the northern central area of the mainland United States.Generally, the boundaries of the Midwest are Canada to the north, the Rocky Mountains to the west, the southern borders of Missouri and Kansas to the south, and the Allegheny Mountains to the east. Sometimes the Midwest is thought of as extending to the eastern border of Illinois or Ohio.The Midwest is one of the United States’ four official regions as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Because the Census Bureau doesn’t divide states when defining regions, it sets Ohio as the Midwest’s eastern border. According to the Census, 12 states are located within the Midwest: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota.Americans themselves often differ in terms of which states they consider to be in the Midwest. Sometimes, states on the fringes, such as Ohio or North Dakota, aren’t considered to be a part of the Midwest.Adjective forms of Midwest include Midwestern and Middle Western, but Midwest can also be used as an adjective, as in Midwest states. A person from the Midwest can be called a Midwesterner. Much less commonly, it’s called the Middle West.Example: I always love to travel to the central United States to see the beautiful scenery of the Midwest.