heartland
Americannoun
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the part of a region considered essential to the viability and survival of the whole, especially a central land area relatively invulnerable to attack and capable of economic and political self-sufficiency.
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any central area, as of a state, nation, or continent.
a vineyard in California's heartland.
noun
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the central region of a country or continent
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the core or most vital area
the industrial heartland of England
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of heartland
Vocabulary lists containing heartland
Political Geography - Middle School
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Political Geography - High School
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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.
Seawater is seeping into Italy's longest river as the waterway starts to run dry in the heatwave, hitting a farming heartland that produces the milk for Parmesan cheese.
From Barron's • Jun. 27, 2026
Yet this character—born on July 4, 1900—arrives from the heartland, bursting with big dreams.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026
In the mango-growing heartland of Tando Allahyar, Mohammad Shakeel manages orchards that grow the golden-yellow Sindhri variety, named after the province where it flourishes and famous for its rich flavour and juicy pulp.
From Barron's • Jun. 21, 2026
But there are plenty of World Cup fans in the heartland.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
It is believed that this accident is the first such between horse-drawn vehicle and internal combustion engine in the twentieth century here in the Hoosier heartland.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
