Kansas

American  

[kan-zuhs] / ˈkæn zəs /

noun

1. a state in the central United States: a part of the Midwest. 82,276 sq. mi. (213,094 sq. km). Topeka. KS (for use with zip code), Kans., Kan., Kas.

2. a river in northeastern Kansas, flowing east to the Missouri River. 169 miles (270 km) long.

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Kansas British  

/ ˈkænzəs /

noun

1. Abbreviation: Kan.   Kans.   KS.  a state of the central US: consists of undulating prairie, drained chiefly by the Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri Rivers; mainly agricultural. Capital: Topeka. Pop: 2 723 507 (2003 est). Area: 213 096 sq km (82 277 sq miles)

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Kansas Cultural  

1. State in the central United States bordered by Nebraska to the north, Missouri to the east, Oklahoma to the south, and Colorado to the west. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita.

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Discover More

In the 1850s, the state came to be known as “bleeding Kansas” because of the violence between hostile free-staters and pro-slavery settlers.

Example Sentences

At the University of Kansas, Justice Sotomayor discussed a Court decision last year related to the “reasonable suspicion” that federal agents need to question someone they suspect might be in the country illegally.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Chair Jerome Powell, Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid, and St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem have all warned in the past few weeks that longer term expectations could drift higher if inflation stays elevated.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

While other host cities such as New York and Los Angeles draw plenty of international visitors every summer, the World Cup is a unique opportunity for Kansas City to shine on the global stage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

From July 2025 to January, Kansas City’s average hotel room rate jumped 145%, more than any other U.S. host, according to the travel-data platform Lighthouse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Bobby looked more like a farm boy from Kansas than a kid from the streets of Brooklyn.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady